Vaccination (vakcinácia, štiepenie) is the process of giving vaccines according to the Slovak vaccination schedule. Some childhood vaccinations in Slovakia are mandatory by law (povinné očkovanie) and are free.
Why it is important for families
- a vaccination certificate is needed to enroll a child in kindergarten and school;
- the pediatrician manages the vaccination schedule — they decide what is missing;
- children from Ukraine often need catch-up vaccinations (dočkovanie) to align their schedule with the Slovak one.
Bring your Ukrainian vaccination record (očkovací preukaz) with you — it will be considered, and the doctor will assess which vaccinations need to be completed. Not all Ukrainian and Slovak vaccination schedules match, so your child may be prescribed additional doses. Plan for this in advance: without the necessary mandatory vaccinations, a kindergarten may refuse admission. Some vaccinations are also available for adults, some with an extra charge. Your pediatrician will always tell you the exact list of mandatory vaccinations and their deadlines.
