Post-vaccine fever — DCH MCQ

Correct answer: C — Use paracetamol for symptoms, but not routinely as prophylaxis at 12 months

At 12 months, routine prophylactic paracetamol is not recommended with the MenB booster because the risk of fever is similar to that following other vaccines. If fever or discomfort develops, age-appropriate infant paracetamol may be given according to the product instructions. The child should receive fluids and be monitored; clinical advice is appropriate if the child becomes unwell, the parents are concerned, or fever persists beyond 48 hours. The three-dose prophylactic paracetamol regimen applies to primary MenB vaccinations at 8 and 12 weeks, not the 12-month booster. Aspirin should not be used routinely in children because of its association with Reye syndrome. Antibiotics neither prevent vaccine fever nor improve the vaccine response. An expected febrile reaction alone is not a contraindication to further vaccination, and recommended paracetamol use does not significantly impair vaccine immunogenicity.

Reference: UK Health Security Agency. Using paracetamol to prevent and treat fever after MenB vaccination, section ‘Paracetamol and the booster vaccinations at 12 months’. Updated 4 June 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menb-vaccine-and-paracetamol/using-paracetamol-to-prevent-and-treat-fever-after-menb-vaccination