Baby vaccine schedules compared: UK, US, UAE and Germany
Every country builds its childhood vaccine schedule around the same goal, protecting babies as early as it is safe to, but the exact vaccines, ages and combinations differ. If you are raising a baby across borders, or comparing what friends abroad are doing, here is how the four schedules Cubby supports line up.
This is a plain-English overview. For the full age-by-age list and a birthday calculator, open your country's page: UK (NHS), US (CDC), UAE (MOHAP), Germany (STIKO), India, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia or Singapore, all linked below.
Why vaccine schedules differ by country
A national vaccine schedule is not simply a copy of another country's list with different dates. It is built from the ground up around the diseases that cause the most harm in that specific population, the vaccine formulations that are licensed and available locally, the structure of the health system delivering them, and the public-health priorities that governments and advisory bodies have agreed to address.
Take BCG, the vaccine against tuberculosis. The UAE administers it at birth because TB prevalence is higher in the populations its health system serves. The UK stopped offering BCG routinely at birth in 2005 precisely because TB risk in most UK infants is low enough that a programme targeting higher-risk groups is a better use of resources. Neither approach is wrong. Each reflects the local disease picture and a deliberate policy decision about where vaccine resources will do the most good.
Meningococcal B disease offers another clear example. The UK and Germany both introduced routine MenB vaccination for infants because surveillance data showed sufficient disease burden to justify it. The standard US infant schedule does not include MenB routinely, which reflects different epidemiological patterns and a different policy calculus, not a gap or oversight. The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reviews the evidence and updates the schedule when the data supports it.
The structure of the health system also shapes scheduling. The UK's NHS delivers vaccines through a centralised, invitation-based system with fixed visit ages. The US schedule is built around well-child visits at specific months and allows some flexibility in timing. Germany's STIKO issues binding recommendations that are then implemented through the statutory health insurance system. The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) and the Emirates Health Services (EHS) operate a schedule that reflects both the resident population's diversity and the Gulf region's disease context. These structural differences mean that even when the same vaccine is used, the visit age and combination may differ.
Understanding this helps parents do two things: trust their local schedule as the right one for their context, and approach differences between schedules with curiosity rather than alarm when they move or compare notes with families abroad.
The diseases all four schedules protect against
Despite their differences in timing and extras, all four schedules converge on a core set of diseases in the first year of life. These are the diseases that cause the most severe illness or death in infants and for which safe, highly effective vaccines exist. Protecting against them is not optional in any of the four systems.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that produces a toxin capable of blocking the airway and damaging the heart. It is rare in countries with high vaccination rates but remains present globally. Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by bacteria found in soil and can cause severe muscle spasms. Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is particularly dangerous in babies under six months, before they have completed their primary course. Polio can cause permanent paralysis and, in its most severe form, respiratory failure.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a bacterium that causes meningitis and other serious infections in young children. Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that can become chronic if acquired in infancy, raising the risk of liver disease and liver cancer decades later. Pneumococcal disease covers a range of serious infections caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium, including pneumonia, meningitis, and septicaemia. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhoea and dehydration in infants and young children worldwide.
All four schedules protect against every disease on this list in the first year of life, typically using combination vaccines that deliver protection against several diseases in a single injection. The 6-in-1 jab used in the UK (Infanrix hexa or equivalent) covers diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, and hepatitis B in one dose. The US, UAE, and Germany use similar combination formulations. The differences between schedules lie in the timing of these doses, how they are combined, and which additional vaccines each country has decided to add on top of this universally agreed core.
Key differences at a glance
The table below summarises the main points of difference. It is simplified for comparison purposes. See each country's dedicated page for the full schedule with exact dose ages and any 2026 updates.
| Vaccine | UK | US | UAE | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCG (TB) | Risk groups only | Not routine | At birth | Not routine |
| Hepatitis B at birth | In the 8-week 6-in-1 | Yes, at birth | Yes, at birth | In the 2-month 6-fach |
| Primary combo starts | 8 weeks | 2 months | 2 months | 2 months |
| Rotavirus | Yes (from 8 wk) | Yes (from 2 mo) | Yes | Yes (from 6 wk) |
| Meningococcal B | Yes (8, 12 wk, 1 yr) | Not routine for infants | Not routine | Yes (2, 4, ~12 mo) |
| Measles/mumps/rubella + varicella | MMRV (1 yr & 18 mo) | MMR + varicella (12-15 mo & 4-6 yr) | MMR + varicella (12 mo), MMR (18 mo) | MMR + varicella (11 & 15 mo) |
| RSV protection (newborn) | Maternal/seasonal | Maternal or infant antibody | Per clinic | Nirsevimab by birth month |
Several differences are worth unpacking. BCG and hepatitis B at birth are given in the UAE because local disease prevalence and population demographics make early protection important. The UK included hepatitis B protection later, folding it into the 6-in-1 combination jab that starts at eight weeks, and does not give BCG routinely because the risk profile for most infants is low enough that targeted delivery to higher-risk groups is the policy choice.
The UK's primary course starts at eight weeks rather than two months. In practice these are almost the same age, but the UK specifies calendar weeks, which can matter for very premature babies whose adjusted age differs from their chronological age.
Both the UK and Germany have introduced routine MenB vaccination for infants, which the US has not adopted for the infant schedule. This reflects genuine differences in disease epidemiology and health policy between the regions, not a quality difference between the programmes.
Varicella (chickenpox) protection is handled differently across all four. The UK added it to the MMR as MMRV in January 2026, creating a combined jab at one year and adding an 18-month visit to the schedule. The US has offered separate varicella vaccine since the 1990s and gives it alongside MMR at 12-15 months and again at 4-6 years. The UAE gives MMR and varicella at 12 months. Germany combines MMR and varicella at 11 and 15 months.
RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) protection is new across all four schedules from 2025/26. The approaches differ: maternal vaccination during pregnancy, infant antibody treatment (nirsevimab), or a combination, with the exact rollout varying by country and sometimes by birth month or local availability.
What this means for families who move country
Vaccine schedules are not directly interchangeable, but a baby who has received part of a course in one country does not simply restart from scratch when the family moves. The approach in all four systems is the same: a GP or paediatrician in the new country reviews the vaccination record, identifies which antigens the baby has already received and on what dates, and maps those completed doses to the new schedule to determine what remains and when it should be given.
In practice this means the clinician looks at which diseases the baby is already protected against and which doses are still needed to complete protection. A baby who received two doses of a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccine in the UAE before the family moved to the UK will not receive two new doses from scratch. The UK clinician will identify the remaining doses needed, adjust for the UK schedule's timing rules, and ensure the baby reaches the same end point of protection.
The critical thing families can do to make this as smooth as possible is to keep a complete, dated vaccination record and bring it to every healthcare encounter in the new country. That record should include the name of each vaccine given (not just "first jabs"), the date, and the batch number where available. The NHS Red Book in the UK, the Impfpass in Germany, and equivalent national records are the primary documents, but a digital log that is easy to share with a new healthcare provider is a valuable supplement.
Batch numbers matter because, in rare cases where a recall or safety query arises after the family has moved, the original country's health authority can only follow up if the batch is recorded. Many digital trackers, including Cubby, allow you to log this level of detail so nothing is lost between moves.
If you are unsure whether your baby's existing doses count in a new country, the safest step is to ask the new healthcare provider directly and bring every piece of documentation you have. Clinicians in all four countries are experienced at mapping international records, and they will tell you exactly what is still needed.
Frequently asked questions
Why do vaccine schedules differ between countries?
Each schedule is built around local disease burden, vaccine availability, and public-health priorities. All four schedules protect against the same core childhood diseases; the differences are in timing, combinations, and which extras are included based on what is most needed in each setting.
What happens if we move country mid-schedule?
Doses already given are not repeated. A doctor in the new country reviews your records and maps the remaining doses to the local schedule. This is why a complete, dated vaccination record is essential: bring it with you whenever you move or travel to see a new healthcare provider.
Are some countries' vaccine programmes more comprehensive than others?
Each programme is designed to be appropriate for its local context. The UK and Germany include routine MenB vaccination for infants; the US does not. The US includes hepatitis A in the second year; the UK does not. All four protect against the same core diseases that cause the most severe illness in infants.
How do I know if my baby is fully vaccinated?
Keep a complete, dated record of every dose your baby receives. The official national record (NHS Red Book in the UK, Impfpass in Germany, the vaccination record from your child's doctor in the US) is the primary document. A digital shared log supplements it for day-to-day tracking and sharing with caregivers and new healthcare providers.
Track your country's schedule in Cubby
Pick your country once and Cubby keeps the right schedule with reminders, shared with everyone who cares for your baby. Moving country? Switch the schedule and your logged doses carry over.
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