New polio vaccination schedule: the Ministry of Health announced changes starting in 2026
Kyiv • UNN
Starting January 1, 2026, polio vaccination in Ukraine will be carried out only with inactivated vaccine. The vaccination schedule is changing, consisting of 5 doses, and the booster shot at 14 years of age is canceled.
In Ukraine, starting from January 1, 2026, in accordance with the updated National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations, polio vaccination will be carried out only with inactivated polio vaccine. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Ministry of Health.
Details
Pediatric infectious disease specialist, Candidate of Medical Sciences, head of the National Technical Group of Experts on Immunoprophylaxis Fedir Lapii explained what exactly is changing.
According to him, there has been a transition to the use of inactivated ("dead") polio vaccine; oral polio vaccine (OPV) will no longer be used. In addition, the vaccination schedule is changing. It now consists of 5 vaccinations, which are administered at the age of 2, 4, 6, 18 months, and 6 years. Revaccination at the age of 14 is canceled.
If a child, for certain reasons, missed one of the polio vaccinations or did not receive any at all, it is necessary to contact their family doctor or pediatrician.
If the polio vaccination schedule has been violated, in this case - regardless of the patient's age - vaccinations are carried out according to a 4-dose schedule. This can be done at the expense of the state until the age of 18