With it being School Health Week, this is a reminder that school boosters renew your child’s protection against vaccine preventable diseases.

Parents and caregivers are being urged to check their children’s immunisation records and return any consent forms sent home by their schools during School Health Week, which takes place from 12 to 16 October 2026. During the week, eligible learners will be able to receive recommended vaccinations through the school health programme. ^¹⁻³

South Africa’s childhood immunisation schedule includes booster doses against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough at six and 12 years, as well as vaccination through the Grade 5 school health programme inclusive of protection against HPV as per the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. ^²

“South Africa needs to reverse the decline in childhood immunisation coverage,” says Diane Buron, Sanofi South Africa Medical Head & Africa PPH/PMED Medical Franchise Head Vaccines. “In 2019, 87% of children received the first dose of a vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. By 2025, this had fallen to 67%. Coverage for the third dose fell from 85% to 65% over the same period. These figures show why parents need to check that their children’s immunisations are up to date.” ^⁴

The latest disease reports give parents another reason to check. During the first seven weeks of 2026, tests confirmed 161 cases of whooping cough in South Africa. ^⁵ By 13 September, the country had recorded 5,037 confirmed measles cases and 595 rubella cases.^⁶ Thirty-nine cases of diphtheria had also been confirmed by that date. ^⁷ Whooping cough, measles, rubella and diphtheria can cause serious and potentially life-threatening disease.^{5-7, 10}

Two types of polioviruses, a virus that can lead to paralysis,¹¹ were detected in wastewater in Cape Town in May 2026. The Department of Health stressed that no cases had been found in people and that this was not a polio outbreak. The finding is a reminder of why routine immunisation and continued monitoring are so important. ^⁸

Why school boosters are needed

The protection children receive from vaccines against vaccine preventable diseases can decrease over time. Booster doses remind the immune system how to respond and help children remain protected as they get older. ^²˒⁵

Children who missed an earlier vaccination may also need catch-up doses. A child may look healthy but still be at risk if one or more recommended doses were missed. ^²

These diseases can cause serious illness

· Whooping cough, or pertussis, causes violent coughing fits that can last for weeks and make it difficult to eat, drink or breathe. It is especially dangerous for babies and young children who are not fully vaccinated. ^⁵

· Diphtheria affects the nose and throat. A thick coating can form in the throat and make breathing or swallowing difficult. The infection can damage the heart, kidneys and nerves and can be fatal. ^⁷

· Tetanus enters the body through a cut or wound. It can cause painful muscle spasms, seizures and breathing problems, and requires urgent hospital treatment. It does not spread from person to person. ^⁹

· Measles spreads very easily and can cause pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, dehydration, blindness or swelling of the brain. It can lead to serious complications and death. ^¹⁰Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes. It is usually mild in children but can be dangerous for an unborn baby if a woman is infected during pregnancy. ⁶

· Polio mainly affects young children. About one in 200 infections leads to permanent paralysis. Of those who become paralysed, between 5% and 10% die when their breathing muscles stop working. ^¹¹

The school campaign aims to boost protection against vaccine preventable diseases.^²

Parents need to give consent

The Integrated School Health Programme requires parental consent before a child can receive health services at school, including vaccination. A parent or caregiver must complete and sign the form before the child can be vaccinated. ^³

If you have questions about the vaccine or your child’s health, speak to the school health team, a clinic nurse or your doctor before completing the form.

What to do if your child has missed a dose

Check the vaccination record in your child’s Road-to-Health booklet or clinic card. You can also take the record to your nearest public clinic and ask a healthcare worker to check it.

If a vaccination is missing, the healthcare worker can advise you about the doses your child needs based on their age and vaccination history. Routine childhood vaccinations are available through public clinics. ^¹²

If you cannot find your child’s Road-to-Health booklet, you can get a new one free of charge from your nearest public clinic. ^¹²

Reaching children missed by routine services

Sanofi and UNICEF launched the Immunisation for Every Child programme in July 2026 to help more children in the Eastern Cape receive routine vaccinations. It runs until March 2027 in the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Amathole districts. ^⁴

The programme focuses on children who have not received their first vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, or who have not completed the recommended schedule.

Three consultants are helping district health teams use local information to find areas with low vaccination rates and plan visits to reach more children. They are also training, mentoring and supporting healthcare workers. The work follows the World Health Organization’s approach to improving vaccination rates in every district. ^⁴

“This partnership will help local health teams find children who have been missed and build the capacity needed to protect them,” says Buron. ^⁴

Remember to sign and return the consent form

When you receive your child’s school consent form, please sign and return it promptly so that they can receive the recommended booster.

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