What the 6-in-1 vaccine protects against
One injection that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B. It is the backbone of the infant schedule in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany and many other countries.
Also known as: Infanrix hexa, Vaxelis, Hexyon
Why children are given it
It front-loads protection against the infections most likely to kill or disable a baby in the first year - especially whooping cough and Hib meningitis - while keeping the number of needles to a minimum.
From each country's official schedule, checked against its sources (last full check 2026-09-16). Tap a country for its whole schedule and a personalised timeline.
| Country | Routine doses |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 8 weeks (1st of 4) 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 12 weeks (2nd of 4) 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 16 weeks (3rd of 4) 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 18 months (4th of 4 (booster))
6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) |
| 🇺🇸 United States | No single 6-in-1 or 5-in-1 injection - protects against the same diseases with separate or differently combined vaccines (see the country page) |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 2 months (1st of 3-4) DTaP-IPV-Hib (5-in-1) 4 months (2nd) DTaP-IPV-Hib (5-in-1) 6 months (3rd) DTaP-IPV-Hib (5-in-1) 18 months (4th (booster))
DTaP-IPV-Hib (5-in-1) |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 2 months (from 6 weeks) (1st of 3) Hexavalent (DTPa-hepB-IPV-Hib) 4 months (2nd of 3) Hexavalent (DTPa-hepB-IPV-Hib) 6 months (3rd of 3)
Hexavalent (DTPa-hepB-IPV-Hib) |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 6 weeks (1st of 4) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 10 weeks (2nd of 4) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 14 weeks (3rd of 4) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 18 months (4th of 4 (booster))
Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) booster |
| 🇮🇳 India | 6 weeks (1st of 3) Pentavalent (DTP-HepB-Hib) 10 weeks (2nd of 3) Pentavalent (DTP-HepB-Hib) 14 weeks (3rd of 3)
Pentavalent (DTP-HepB-Hib) |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | No single 6-in-1 or 5-in-1 injection - protects against the same diseases with separate or differently combined vaccines (see the country page) |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 2 months (1st of 2 (+1)) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 3 months (premature babies only) (Extra dose) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 4 months (2nd of 2 (+1)) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 11 months (3rd (booster))
Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) booster |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 2 months (1st of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 4 months (2nd of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 6 months (3rd of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) 13 months (4th of 4 (booster))
6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 6 weeks (1st of 3) Infanrix hexa (DTaP-IPV-HepB/Hib) 3 months (2nd of 3) Infanrix hexa (DTaP-IPV-HepB/Hib) 5 months (3rd of 3)
Infanrix hexa (DTaP-IPV-HepB/Hib) |
| 🇫🇷 France | 2 months (1st of 2 (+ booster)) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 4 months (2nd of 2) Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 11 months (Booster (3rd))
Hexavalent (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) booster |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 6 to 9 weeks (1st of 4) DKTP-Hib-HepB (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 3 months (2nd of 4) DKTP-Hib-HepB (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 5 months (3rd of 4) DKTP-Hib-HepB (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 12 months (4th of 4 (booster)) DKTP-Hib-HepB booster 5 years (age 4-5) (Pre-school booster)
DTaP booster (DKT) |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2 months (1st of 3) Penta (DTP-HepB-Hib) 4 months (2nd of 3) Penta (DTP-HepB-Hib) 6 months (3rd of 3)
Penta (DTP-HepB-Hib) |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 2 months (from 6 weeks) (1st of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 4 months (2nd of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 6 months (3rd of 4) 6-in-1 (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) 18 months (4th of 4 (booster))
6-in-1 (DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB) booster |
Good to know
- Combining six vaccines into one injection means fewer needles and earlier protection against infections that are most dangerous in the first months of life.
- Some countries use a "5-in-1" without hepatitis B and give hepatitis B separately - the protection at the end is the same.
- The first three doses are given a few weeks apart because one dose is not enough to build full immunity in a young baby.
Side effects: what is normal
- Redness, swelling or a small hard lump where the injection was given, which can last a few weeks.
- Mild fever, irritability and being off their feed for a day or two.
- Serious reactions are very rare.
Most side effects are mild and pass within a day or two. Get medical advice straight away if your child has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or mouth, a fit, a temperature of 38°C or more in a baby under 3 months, or you are worried in any way. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Your doctor, nurse, health visitor or pharmacist can advise on your own child.
It depends on the country. Across the 12 countries that include it on their routine schedule, the first dose is given from 6 weeks to 8 weeks. In the UK it is given at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 months. The table on this page shows every country.
Routine schedules give 3 to 5 doses in childhood, depending on the country and the product used. Combination vaccines can mean one injection counts towards several diseases.
12 of the 14 countries on this site use a single combined injection like this. United States and Russia protect against the same diseases using separate or differently combined vaccines.
Yes. Vaccines on the childhood schedule are given by age, not by sex - girls and boys receive the same doses at the same ages.
It is almost never too late to catch up, and a missed dose rarely means starting again - your doctor or nurse will continue from where your child left off. A few vaccines (such as rotavirus) have upper age limits. Contact your clinic to book a catch-up appointment.
- United Kingdom - NHS / UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- Canada - Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) / National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)
- Australia - Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - National Immunisation Program (NIP)
- South Africa - National Department of Health - Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI-SA)
- India - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)
- Germany - Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute / ECDC
- Ireland - Health Service Executive (HSE) / National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC)
- New Zealand - Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora / Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC)
- France - Ministere de la Sante / Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) - calendrier vaccinal
- Netherlands - RIVM - National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Rijksvaccinatieprogramma)
- Brazil - Ministerio da Saude - Programa Nacional de Imunizacoes (PNI)
- Singapore - Ministry of Health (MOH) / Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) - National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS)
- United States - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / ACIP
- Russia - Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation - National Preventive Vaccination Calendar
- NHS - 6-in-1 vaccine (side effects and more)
- NHS - NHS vaccinations and when to have them
- CDC - Possible side effects from vaccines
- WHO - Vaccines and immunization
How we research and check this information: our editorial policy.
More vaccine guides
MMR vaccine · Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine · Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine · Polio vaccine · Hib vaccine · Hepatitis B vaccine · Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) · Rotavirus vaccine · MenB vaccine · MenACWY and MenC vaccines · HPV vaccine · Children's flu vaccine · BCG (tuberculosis) vaccine · Hepatitis A vaccine · RSV protection for babies
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