Get all the vaccines in the national immunization program on schedule, which are free all the way, and if you miss one, only catch up on the doses not yet given

Cost

Free. The law states that "vaccination units may not charge any fee for giving immunization-program vaccines." You make a few trips to the vaccination clinic by the child's age in months. Keep the immunization certificate (预防接种证) safe and don't lose it.

What you get

When a child enters nursery or school, the nursery or school must check the immunization certificate. If it finds the child has not received immunization-program vaccines as required, it must report to the vaccination unit and help urge the guardian to catch up. So missed vaccines will generally be found when the certificate is checked at nursery or school entry. The procedure now in force is the 2026 edition. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been added to the national immunization program. The starting age for the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine was moved from 3 months to 2 months, with 5 doses in all: 1 dose each at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 18 months and 6 years of age. From March 2026, children of the right age in Tibet, Qinghai, Xinjiang and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (新疆生产建设兵团) also routinely get the Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Several vaccines can be given on the same day: at this stage, all national immunization-program vaccines can be given at the same time according to the immunization schedule or the catch-up rules. When two or more injected vaccines are given, they go in different sites, and "it is strictly forbidden to draw two or more vaccines into the same syringe." If not given on the same day, the interval between two or more injected live attenuated vaccines must be not less than 28 days. There is no limit on the interval between inactivated vaccines, oral live attenuated vaccines and other vaccines. For people under 18, the rule for catching up is to do it as early as possible, and "only the doses not completed need to be caught up; there is no need to restart the whole series," and you can continue with another maker's vaccine of the same kind (China, 2026 edition procedure)

Notes

The most common misunderstanding is "the child is not strong, so don't vaccinate yet." The official position is that a so-called "allergic constitution," a family history of allergic disease, or a child's past allergy to foods or drugs are not reasons to skip a vaccine. Atopic dermatitis (eczema), hives, allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are no obstacle as long as the condition is stable. Taking antiallergy medicine or using inhaled steroids does not stop vaccination either. Physiological jaundice and breast milk jaundice in newborns are no obstacle either. Only two things really rule it out: an acute severe allergic reaction to the same vaccine before, or a severe allergy to a known ingredient in the vaccine. Children with immune deficiency, and children on chemotherapy or radiotherapy or taking immunosuppressants, are assessed one by one; explain the situation at the vaccination clinic and decide there. For the first hepatitis B shot, see §20.2. Self-paid vaccines outside the immunization program carry a separate vaccine fee and vaccination service fee, and have nothing to do with the free vaccines this item talks about.

Evidence grade

A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.

Sources

1. Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2019). Vaccine Administration Law (Articles 48 and 49) [in Chinese]. http://ynswsjkw.yn.gov.cn/html/2019/faguiguizhangxin_0731/6509.html (republished by the Health Commission of Yunnan Province)
2. National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and National Health Commission (2026). Questions and answers interpreting the "Immunization Schedule and Notes for Children for National Immunization Program Vaccines (2026 edition)" [in Chinese]. https://www.ndcpa.gov.cn/jbkzzx/c100013/common/content/content_2073002930292035584.html

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 20, tip 3. This section is about health and medicines. It is general information, not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis or prescription. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer