Rotavirus vaccine - Rotavirus vaccine information for health professionals
Background
Rotavirus infection causes acute gastroenteritis. Spread is mainly faecal-oral person to person. Although mortality is low with adequate supportive treatment, it may be fatal where rehydration is not available.
Vaccine
The rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix is an oral, live attenuated vaccine.
Rotarix protects against gastroenteritis due to rotavirus serotypes G1P, G2P, G3P, G4P, G9P, which account for 97% of the rotavirus strains that are circulating in the UK.
Summary of product characteristics
Schedule guidance in the The Green Book, chapter 27b: Rotavirus supersedes the SmPC.
The Complete Routine Immunisation Schedule includes information about routine and non-routine vaccinations.
Guidance
Vaccination programme recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and Welsh Government policy can be found at the links below.
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – read JCVI publications and statements; search e.g. rotavirus.
Welsh Health Circulars and Welsh Government letters
- Live attenuated vaccines: Avoid use in those who are clinically immunosuppressed, including neonates (May 2016)
- New national immunisation programmes and introduction of a rotavirus programme (May 2013)
Training resources and events
Online courses and training materials about a number of vaccines and diseases can be accessed via the E-learning page.
Further immunisation training information and resources are provided on the Training Resources and Events page.
Clinical resources and information
- The Green Book, chapter 27b: Rotavirus
- The rotavirus vaccination programme: Information for healthcare practitioners (UKHSA)
Patient group directions (PGDs) and protocols
PGD templates for vaccines can be found on the Patient group directions (PGDs) and protocols page.
Further clinical resources and information
Data and surveillance
- Data and surveillance
- COVER – National childhood immunisation uptake data
- Rotavirus: Guidance, data and analysis
- Norovirus and rotavirus: Summary of surveillance
Page last reviewed: 24th April 2026