Calendar of mandatory and recommended vaccinations - at what age should a child be vaccinated?

Vaccinations are one of the most effective ways to protect children's health against serious infectious diseases. Parents often ask which vaccinations are mandatory and which are recommended for children? What are the differences between mandatory and recommended vaccinations? At what age should children receive specific vaccinations, and what is the current vaccination schedule for 2026? In this article, we explain in an accessible way which vaccinations are mandatory for children and which are worth considering as additional protection (recommended vaccinations), when to get them, and their approximate costs.

Mandatory and recommended vaccinations – why vaccinate children?

Vaccinations are currently the most important element of prevention, which allows for effective combating of the spread of certain dangerous bacteria and viruses. The main purpose of protective vaccinations is to provide children maximum possible protection from getting sick. Thanks to mandatory and recommended vaccinations for children, it is possible not only to prevent infections, but above all avoiding serious complications with a difficult prognosis and eliminating the high costs associated with subsequent treatment.

Expert advises

Vaccinations are the cheapest and most effective way to combat infectious diseases on a societal scale. Beyond protecting individuals, their goal is to completely eliminate specific diseases from the population. A key aspect is building herd immunity, which occurs when more than 90% of the population is vaccinated. This creates a protective barrier for those who, for medical reasons, such as cancer, cannot be vaccinated themselves.

Jolanta Wacławek

Pediatrician in the One-Day Hospitalization Department, Institute of Mother and Child

What is the difference between mandatory and recommended vaccinations for children? – financing, law, and the purpose of protection.

The differences between mandatory and recommended vaccinations for children raise many questions among parents. These concerns not only costs, but also the legal nature, health purpose and the method of their implementationUnderstanding these differences helps you use the vaccination schedule more consciously and better plan with your doctor when—at what age—specific vaccinations should be administered to your child.

Mandatory and recommended vaccinations for children – financing and prices of vaccines

Mandatory vaccinations for children 

There are free of charge, financed from public funds under the Protective Vaccination ProgramThese vaccines are available directly from clinics and do not require purchase at a pharmacy. Parents choosing other preparations in a given vaccination cycle, e.g., highly combined 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 vaccines (minimizing the number of injections), should consider their Prices can range from several dozen to several hundred zlotys per dose. Prices for individual vaccines can vary between pharmacies and medical facilities, so it's worth comparing offers.

Expert advises

The decision to choose a specific vaccine within the mandatory vaccination schedule requires its use throughout the entire vaccination cycle. Switching from a reimbursed vaccine to a combined (paid) vaccine while the vaccination schedule is in progress is not recommended and is usually organizationally impossible.

Jolanta Wacławek

Pediatrician in the One-Day Hospitalization Department, Institute of Mother and Child

Recommended vaccinations for children 

They are mostly paid - parents buy the preparation at the pharmacy with a prescription, which is obtained at the clinicExceptions are selected publicly funded programs, such as HPV vaccinations for children of certain ages, COVID-19 vaccinations, and seasonal influenza vaccinations. In practice, this means that the differences between mandatory and recommended vaccinations mainly concern the method of financing.

Mandatory vaccinations for children – when are they legally required and when are they voluntary?

Mandatory vaccinations for children result from legal provisions and apply to all persons staying in Poland, especially children and young people up to 19 years of age.

Parents are obligated to ensure that their child is vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule and at the appropriate time (at what age) recommended. Failure to vaccinate may result in administrative consequences, such as a fine.

While Vaccinations recommended for children are voluntary. This means that the decision to implement them rests solely with the parents or legal guardiansA doctor can recommend them, but they cannot impose them, even if they are based on current medical knowledge. It's worth remembering that recommended vaccinations are considered an investment in health just as important as mandatory vaccinations for children.

Mandatory vaccination schedule for children for 2026 - when and what are children vaccinated against? 

Before each vaccination, the child should be examined by a doctor., because we vaccinate only healthy children. The order of vaccinations (at what age and when exactly a specific vaccine will be administered) is determined by the Vaccination Calendar for a given year, however — as already mentioned in the article — the parent has the option to choose the type of vaccine with which his or her child will be vaccinated (free preparation, reimbursed or paid vaccine, e.g. 6-in-1 combined vaccine).

When, for some reason, mandatory vaccinations cannot be performed in accordance with the recommendations of the vaccination schedule for a given year (usually due to the child's health condition), an individual vaccination schedule for a given patient is used.

Below is the mandatory vaccination calendar for 2026 with a detailed list of the age at which a child should be vaccinated, according to the recommendations:

• First day after birth: A child receives a vaccine for tuberculosis (BCG) and the first dose of vaccination against hepatitis B (Hepatitis B).

Expert advises

In certain medical situations, a doctor may decide to postpone the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine until the child is 7-8 weeks old. This applies to newborns whose mothers tested high levels of anti-HBs antibodies during pregnancy. This decision can only be made by a doctor in the neonatal unit, based on the pregnant woman's medical records.

Jolanta Wacławek

Pediatrician in the One-Day Hospitalization Department, Institute of Mother and Child

• 2nd month of life (after 6 weeks): The cycle of mandatory vaccinations for children begins. rotaviruses, second dose against Hepatitis B, as well as the first doses against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), Hibs and pneumococcalIf we decide on a highly combined 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 vaccine, prices range from approx. PLN 220–330 per dose.
• 4nd month of life: Further doses of mandatory vaccinations for children are being administered against rotaviruses, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, Hibs i pneumococcal and the first dose of the vaccine against polio (IPV).
• 5th – 6th month of life: Continuation of vaccinations against rotaviruses (if the regimen requires 3 doses) and a third dose against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and Hibs.
• 6th – 7th month of life: Administration of the second dose of the vaccine against polio and the third dose of the vaccine against Hepatitis B.
• 13th – 15th month of life: First vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and a booster dose against pneumococcal.
• 16th – 18th month of life: Supplementary doses against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, Hibs and polio.
• 6st year of life: First booster doses of vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (vaccine with acellular pertussis component – ​​DTaP), polio (IPV) and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
• 14st year of life: Another booster dose of the mandatory vaccination for children against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (with reduced antigens – Tdap).
• 19st year of life: Last booster dose of vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus (Td), concluding the cycle of mandatory childhood vaccinations.

Important note: Vaccination against chickenpox is mandatory (free) only for children up to 19 years of age from high-risk groups (e.g. with impaired immunity) or staying in care facilities and nurseries.

List of recommended vaccinations for children (up to 18 years of age) for 2026

For recommended vaccinations, parents receive a prescription and purchase the vaccine themselves at a pharmacy. From that point on, they are responsible for maintaining appropriate cold chain storage conditions.

The vaccine should be transported in a thermal bag with a cooling pack and stored in a refrigerator at 2–8°C until administered to the child. 

What vaccinations are recommended for children for 2026 and at what age can they be performed?

• Against meningococci: Recommended from now on 2rd month of life (vaccines against serogroups B and A, C, W, and Y) to protect against invasive meningococcal disease. Vaccine prices range from approximately PLN 200–430 per dose, depending on the strain and formulation.
• Against flu: At what age can a child be vaccinated? The flu vaccine is currently free and recommended for all children from 6rd month of lifeWhen exactly should you get it? We get vaccinated against influenza every year before the flu season.
• Against COVID-19: Can be given to children over 7th month of lifeIn 2026, this vaccination will remain reimbursed.
• Against hepatitis A: Recommended from 13rd month of life (2 doses), especially for children of preschool and school age and those who frequently travel abroad with their parents.
• Against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE): Recommended for children from 13rd month of lifewho spend time outdoors (summer camps, walks in the forests).
• Against chickenpox: For all children who have not been ill and are not eligible for free (mandatory) vaccination.
• Against HPV virus: Recommended from 9 years of ageIn 2026, these vaccinations remain free for girls and boys aged 9 to 14 as part of a universal program. Prices for paid preparations range from approx. PLN 440–600 per dose.

More about HPV virus you can read in another article on EpozytywnaOpinia.

• Other vaccinations (travel and specific): Depending on needs and planned trips abroad, children can be given vaccines against cholera, typhoid, rabies or Japanese encephalitis.

Recommended vaccinations for children – what is worth knowing after completing the mandatory vaccination schedule?

Recommended childhood vaccinations are, from a medical perspective, just as important to a child's health as mandatory vaccinations. All doses administered should be recorded in electronic Vaccination Card patient.

Expert advises

The National Immunization Schedule in Poland ends at age 19. However, vaccinations are also scheduled for various groups of patients beyond their first year of life. These may include vaccinations needed before traveling to specific regions of the world, booster doses of previously administered vaccinations, or other recommended vaccinations based on the epidemiological situation and individual health status. 

Jolanta Wacławek

Pediatrician in the One-Day Hospitalization Department, Institute of Mother and Child

Protective and recommended vaccinations not only for children – pregnant women and special risk groups

A special group are pregnant women, for whom, among others, the following are recommended: flu vaccinations and whooping cough (Tdap), protecting both the expectant mother and the newborn in the first months of life.

Additionally, there are also vaccination recommendations for medical professionals and other professional groups exposed to contact with infectious diseases, such as employees of education, catering, social care or uniformed services, as well as for seniors.

When and for what should your child be vaccinated? Discuss any concerns directly with your doctor.

Let us remember that some parents' fear or doubts about vaccinating their children is best explained in the doctor's office. Let's prepare all the bothering questions before the visit, so as not to forget anything.

Protective and recommended vaccinations for children are still one of the safest and most effective methods of preventing many serious diseases.

So let us not expose our child unnecessarily, if we have such a tool to fight diseases.

Bibliography (access to internet sources as of 29.01.2026/XNUMX/XNUMX):

• Protective Vaccination Program for children and adolescents in 2026: https://szczepienia.pzh.gov.pl/kalendarz-szczepien-2026-2/

Author

Jolanta Wacławek

Pediatrician in the One-Day Hospitalization Department, Institute of Mother and Child