Baz recently had his BCG immunisation, although he should have had it earlier, but his appointment was rescheduled on two occasions. I looked on various websites prior to his appointment and the following questions/answers satisfied my curiosity.
- How does the vaccine work?
- Why is TB still a problem?
- How common is TB in England?
- Where in the world is TB widespread?
- Is TB contagious?
- How do I know if my baby needs the BCG vaccination?
- I have an allergy. Could anything in the BCG vaccine trigger that allergy?
- Does the BCG vaccine contain any blood products or materials of animal origin?
- I live with somebody who has a weakened immune system. If I have the vaccine, is there a risk that the bacteria in the vaccine could infect them?
- Why do we no longer vaccinate teenagers with the BCG at school? How can I get my child vaccinated?
- There was no scar or blister after my child’s BCG jab. Did it work?
Interestingly enough, I came across a mother on Instragram who was against immunisations, but regardless of her decision to not immunise her child at a young age, she will have no choice once they’re ready for school. Overall, the BCG immunisation was fine, and Baz only cried for about 30 or so seconds afterwards.
The Kurdish Mother 