FAQS | VAXTrack App – VAX Track App

ABOUT THE VAXTrack APP

The VAXTrack App is an interactive service that partners with parents/guardians to help protect their children via the pediatric national immunization program (of the country of residence of the child).

VAXTrack eases the parent’s burden of tracking vaccinations and due dates by providing the following services:

A dynamic Dashboard which displays personalized vaccination schedules for each child.
An Interactive Calendar which dynamically allows parents to plan vaccinations, update appointment status and record ‘completed vaccination’ details.
An Upcoming Vaccine Module which helps manage vaccination and appointment status.
A Vaccination Record which allows parents to maintain and download the completed vaccine record for each child.
Timely notifications and reminders of vaccinations and scheduled appointments

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register, sign-up or login to the VAXTrack App?

You can easily create a login profile for the VAXTrack App with your email.
On Android/ Play Store, you can sign-in directly using your Google Account.
On iOS/ Apple App store, you can sign-in directly using your Apple ID.

How can I add/edit my profile?
You can add your profile while registering.
In addition, you can also add/edit parent profiles by clicking on Settings > Parent Profile. Under this, the registered user is added as Parent 1 (indicated with a *). Parent 2 and Guardian details are optional entries.

Why do I need to provide my child’s details?

The VAXTrack App helps you protect your child with on-time vaccinations. The App uses your child’s details to generate personalized vaccination schedules for each child, helps you manage your time by providing you with timely reminders for vaccinations due and for appointments you set up. The VAXTrack App also ensures that you can maintain a record of your child’s vaccinations. These services depend on accurate child information being entered into the App.

How can I add/edit my child’s profile

To add a child: You can add your child in multiple ways.
1. The very first time you sign into the VaxTrack App, you will see an ‘Add Child’ screen Please fill in details of at least 1 Child to get accurate vaccination schedules, reminders, records etc. that are personalized for each child. You can add multiple children on this screen by clicking on the + sign.
2. From the ‘ + Add Child’ Button on the top-right of the ‘Home’ screen’ which appears after you sign in. Fill in your child’s details to get accurate vaccination schedules for each child.
3. Go to Settings on the footer of the home screen. Settings > Child Information > Fill in the Details. Note: You can use the + sign at the bottom of ‘Edit child/ Add Child’ screen to add details of more children. Hit Continue to save the details.

If you want to delete your child’s profile and data from the app, please write to us using Contact Us and we will do the needful.

Can I edit my child’s details?
Yes, you can edit your child’s details on the Child Profile page. You can also click on your child’s Thumbnail image on the Home screen. You will see his/her Vaccination schedule. Scroll to the bottom on this screen and you will see an option of editing the Child’s details.

What happens if my child has lived in more than one country?

The VAXTrack App is geared to take care of the vaccination schedules of children who have moved countries. Please enter/edit your period of stay in in each country in the Child’s Information under the Country heading. The App will provide you with the set of vaccinations that are relevant to your current location and to the previous location.

How do I know when my child’s vaccination is due?

For vaccination status of your child, please check the Dashboard on the Home screen. The dashboard shows Vaccinations Due, Overdue, and Upcoming Vaccines:
1. Currently Due vaccines: You can see which vaccines are currently due for your child. You can schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor.
2. Upcoming vaccines: You can see vaccines that are going to become ‘due’ in the next 30 days to 120 days.
3. Overdue vaccines: You can view vaccines that were due for you child but have been missed or not entered as ‘completed’ or ‘declined’ on the App.
4. You will also receive a notification 30 days prior to a vaccine becoming Due to enable you to make an appointment with your child’s doctor.

What notifications will I receive on vaccinations?

You will receive notifications for the following events:
1. Vaccination Due: Notification will be sent 30 days prior to your child’s vaccination being due.
2. Vaccination Currently Due: Notification will be sent on the day your child vaccination is due.
3. Vaccination Missed: Notification sent when the permitted vaccination period has passed without a vaccination.
4. Update completed vaccination – you will receive a notification to update your child’s vaccination details once the appointment date you entered into the app for the specific vaccine has passed.

How can I use the ‘Schedule’ function of the App?

The VAXTrack is an aid to your child’s vaccination schedule. When a vaccination is due for your child, you will need call your doctor for a vaccination appointment. Then, you will need to feed the appointment date into the App for timely reminders and records.

To do this:
1.       On the Dashboard: click on the relevant vaccine for the appointment, press ‘schedule’ and put in the appointment with your doctor.
2.       In the Vaccination Record Screen: you can ‘schedule,’ ‘reschedule’ and ‘mark as done’ as per the status of each vaccine for your child.
3.       In the Calendar Screen: by clicking on the relevant vaccine due dates, you can schedule the vaccine.

How do I remove the ‘Currently Due’ or ‘Overdue’ status of a vaccination which is completed?

You can remove the ‘currently due’ or ‘overdue’ status in any one of the following ways:
1.       On the dashboard: click on the ‘Already Done?’ button of the relevant vaccine, enter the details and hit ‘Submit.’
2.       On the Dashboard: click on the ‘Schedule’ button and enter the date of the appointment scheduled with your doctor.
3.       On the Vaccination Record Screen: click on the ‘Mark as Done’ button and enter the details.
4.       On the Calendar: click on the relevant date on which the vaccine is due (in pink colour). Fill in the details on the card.

My child doesn’t need a specific vaccine. How can I decline it on the app?

You can ‘Decline’ a vaccine on the App in one of the following ways:
1.       On the Dashboard: click on ‘schedule’ and press ‘decline for the specific vaccine.
2.       On vaccination Record Upcoming Screen: Click on ‘Schedule’ and press ‘decline’ for that vaccine.
3.       In the Calendar: Click on the relevant due date for the vaccine (date is marked in pink). A card pops up. Click on the specific vaccine you want to decline and press ‘decline.’

Note: When you decline a vaccine for your child, it will not show up again and is recorded as ‘Declined’ in your child’s vaccination record.

How do I add the vaccine details for a completed vaccination?

You can add the vaccine details for a completed vaccination in one of the following ways:
1.  On the Dashboard: Click on the ‘Already Done?’ button for the relevant vaccine, fill in the details and press submit.
2.  On the Vaccination Record Upcoming Screen: Click on the ‘Mark as done’ button for the relevant vaccine and fill in the details and press submit.
3.  On the Calendar: Click on the ‘Schedule’ tab and click on the relevant vaccine. Fill in the details on the card.

How do I access my child’s full vaccination record?

On the Dashboard, click on the link ‘Click for Upcoming Vaccines and Vaccination Record.’ Then, click on the ‘Completed’ tab to view your child’s vaccination record. This record will have the details of your child’s vaccination which you have entered into the VAXTrack App.

Can I download my child’s vaccination record?

Go to Vaccination Record > Completed screen. Click on the pdf icon on the top right-hand corner of the Completed Vaccinations table. This generates a pdf file which you can download. The file is called VR_child name_ddmyyy and is found in the Downloads folder of your phone.

Can I mark a scheduled appointment on the Interactive Calendar for an upcoming vaccine?

Yes, you can mark a scheduled appointment for an Upcoming Vaccine. For this, you must first call your doctor and fix the appointment. Next, please click on the calendar icon next to the relevant vaccine on the Dashboard and add the date of the appointment. You can also do this from the Vaccination Record -Upcoming Screen or from the Interactive Calendar.
The appointment is automatically added to your interactive Calendar once you fill out the details. You will receive a notification on the date.

How do I reschedule the appointment date?
You first need to call your doctor to reschedule the appointment.

You can then enter the details on the App in one of the following ways:
On the Dashboard: click on the appointment date for that vaccine. You are redirected to the Upcoming Vaccine screen. Click on ‘Reschedule’ for the specific vaccine and fill out the details. You will automatically receive notifications on this date.
You can also click on the ‘access Upcoming vaccine and vaccine record’ link on the dashboard. You will reach the Upcoming Vaccine screen and can use the ‘reschedule’ button of the vaccine to change the date of the appointment. You will receive the relevant notifications on the date.

How do I access the Interactive Calendar view? What information can I see?

Click on the Calendar icon at the footer of the Home Screen.
You can see Vaccination due, Vaccination missed, Appointment scheduled, and appointment missed for all your children on the Interactive Calendar. BY scrolling left and right, you can access past and future details for each child.

How do I add completed vaccine details from the Interactive Calendar?

You can add completed vaccine details so in two ways:
1. On the Interactive Calendar: Select the child. Select the appointment date. On the card that appears, please enter the vaccine details.
2. On the Schedule Screen: Select the child, select the vaccine. Enter the details on the card.

ABOUT CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS

DISCLAIMER: The VAXTrack App informs Users of the app that the material provided here is for general information purposes only. It is not a substitute for your doctor’s expert advice. You must consult your doctor before taking action based on any information provided here.

What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect children as vaccines are tested before use and are monitored continuously. Some diseases are life-threatening, and some can cause serious and lasting damage to a child’s health. Immunization offers protection to children from these diseases. A doctor can give a parent the most relevant and updated information on immunization for a child.

How does a vaccine protect my baby?
Vaccines work by helping the body’s build the ability to fight off disease causing bacteria and viruses Vaccines are of several types depending on how they work. Some vaccines contain a small part of the bacterium or the virus that causes the disease while some contain the chemicals the bacterium produces. The vaccine works by helping the immune system of the child develop antibodies – which are substances that help to fight and kill the disease-causing germs in the body. If the child encounters the germ again, the body’s immune system recognizes it and the specific antibodies that have developed help to protect the child.
When a child is vaccinated, it means the child has developed the ability to fight off the infection. Vaccines are not likely to be 100% effective. The key point to note is that if the infection does occur again, it is likely to be mild because the body has the antibodies to fight off the pathogens.

When should my child be immunized?
Immunizations must be given to a child at the right age. The immunization schedule is dependent on the country of residence. The VAXTrack App uses the immunization schedule prescribed by the health authorities of each country. The child’s doctor can give the most updated and relevant advice on immunization for each child and the parent should follow the doctor’s advice.
Some vaccinations need to be given at birth itself. Since some diseases can be serious in babies, it is important to protect babies against them as soon as possible.

Where can I access information about my child’s pediatric immunization?
Your child’s doctor will give you detailed, updated and essential information on your child’s vaccinations. Your child’s doctor is the best source of this information. Please follow your doctor’s advice.
Online information about pediatric vaccinations can be found on your country’s official health authority’s website. Other organizations like official pediatric organizations for your country, the WHO, UNICEF etc.
Please note: You must seek your doctor’s advice on pediatric vaccinations before taking any decision or action. These sources of information mentioned here are not a substitute for your doctor’s advice.

What are the types of diseases my child needs to be vaccinated against?

Pediatric vaccinations usually cover childhood diseases. These include viral and bacterial illnesses. The immunization schedule differs from country to country. It is based on the specific needs of the country’s pediatric population. For each country, routine vaccinations for children usually include protective vaccination against some or all the following diseases:

Disease (s)	Germ	System(s) affected	Vaccine (depends on country and age of child)
Polio	Virus	Brain and spinal cord causing paralysis	IPV and/or OPV
Typhoid	Bacteria	Whole Body – fever, body pain, diarrhea etc.	Typhoid vaccine (conjugate, or non-conjugate or live-attenuated)
Tuberculosis	Bacteria	Usually lungs, but can affect other body parts	BCG
Flu (influenza)	Virus	Respiratory (nose, throat, lungs)	Annual flu vaccine
Hepatitis A	Virus	Liver	Hep A
Hepatitis B	Virus	Liver – can be chronic	Hep B
Measles	Virus	Respiratory system (nose, throat, lungs)	MMR (for Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Mumps	Virus	Parotid salivary glands	MMR (for Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Rubella	Virus	Fever and rash	MMR (for Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Hemophilus influenzae b	Bacteria	Brain, respiratory, joints, heart, blood	Hib
Diphtheria	Bacteria	Mucous membranes of nose, throat	DTaP/DTP/Tdap/Td
Tetanus	Bacteria	Neck, jaw (lockjaw)	DTaP/DTP/Tdap/Td
Pertussis	Bacteria	Respiratory system (Whooping Cough)	DTaP/DTP/Tdap/Td
Chicken pox	Virus	Fever, rash	Varicella vaccine
Pneumococcal disease	Bacteria	Ears, lungs, blood, brain, spinal cord	Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
Rotavirus	Virus	Small intestine (Gastrointestinal tract)	Rotavirus vaccine
Meningococcal disease	Bacteria	Brain and spinal cord, blood, joints	Meningococcal vaccine
Human Papilloma virus	Virus	Cancer & warts	HPV vaccine

Routine Vaccinations

Do vaccines last life-long?

Some vaccinations can result in protection that can last a lifetime. Some other vaccines, such as the seasonal flu vaccine, tetanus vaccine etc. can often require booster doses throughout life to maintain the body’s defenses. Follow your doctor’s advice on the doses required for various vaccines.

What is a Booster Dose?
A booster dose is an additional dose of the vaccine given after the protection offered by the primary doses begins to fall. To maintain the protection strong, the booster dose is given at a specified age. Some vaccines may require booster doses to be given more than once. Your child’s doctor will guide you about the specific requirements for each vaccine.

How does the immune system help the body fight infections?

The immune system of the body does two things when attacked by disease-causing germs:
1.       It helps fight off the infection.
2.       It develops immunity against that specific bacteria or virus.

When the body is invaded by disease-causing bacteria/virus (pathogens), they multiply and attack various parts of the body and disrupt normal functions of the body. This is called an ‘infection’ and leads to symptoms. The immune system swings into action to fight off the infection. It does this by trying to eliminate the pathogens and by developing an ability to recognize the pathogens if they invade again.

Components of the immune system:
The immune system consists of white blood cells (WBCs). WBCs are of several types, depending on their function in the immune system:
1. Macrophages: Digest invading pathogens (phagocytosis) and isolate antigens from the pathogen. Antigens are proteins or sugars on the surface of the pathogen and are unique markers for the germ. The immune system marks these antigens as foreign material and creates antibodies to destroy the harmful antigen.

2. B-lymphocytes: Produce antibodies to fight off infection. The antibodies are specific to each harmful antigen. The antibodies are activated if the infection occurs again.
3. T-lymphocyte: 2 types – Helper T-cells send signals to activate the immune system to fight invading pathogens. Cytotoxic T-cells destroy infected host cells.
A vaccine for a target disease replicates this process by medically introducing the disease-causing germ (which provides the antigen). The B-lymphocytes develop antibodies against the antigen and the T-lymphocytes remember how to recognize the antigen, thus readying the immune system to fight the pathogen in future. Thus, sometimes, vaccinations can cause ‘imitation infections’ with symptoms of the disease. Your doctor will advise you on the symptoms and after-vaccination care for each vaccine.

What is herd immunity?

Herd immunity of a population refers to the indirect immunity from an infectious disease that is conferred upon individuals (within the population) who have not been vaccinated or exposed to the pathogen from an older bout of the illness. This occurs when a threshold % of the population has become immune to the pathogen either via infection or by vaccination. This % is called the Critical Vaccination Level. Above this threshold, the ability of the pathogen to multiply through the population is greatly reduced due to the lack of viable hosts. The % depends on how contagious the disease is – highly contagious infections require high % of population immunity. For example, measles is highly contagious and has a 95% threshold, while polio has an 80% threshold.
Some children are ‘at risk’ because they cannot be vaccinated due to underlying conditions such as cancer/HIV or allergy to vaccine ingredients. Herd immunity is extremely important in protecting such children by giving them indirect immunity from preventable childhood diseases.

What are types of vaccines my child is likely to receive?

Vaccines are classified based on the pathogen component used to activate the immune system.
1.       Live, attenuated vaccines: Uses an attenuated (weakened) form of the pathogen. The immune response is strong and long-lasting because the pathogen introduced resembles the natural infection closely. People with weakened immune systems cannot get these live vaccines. E.g., MMR, rotavirus, varicella
2.       Inactivated vaccines: Uses an inactivated (killed) version of the pathogen. Thus, the immune response is not long-lasting. The child requires multiple doses and boosters to confer long-term immunity. e.g., Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), Hep A, influenza (given annually)
3.       Conjugate/polysaccharide/sub-unit/recombinant vaccines: Uses only a specific part of the pathogen such as a protein or a sugar (instead of the whole germ). The immune response is strong and targeted at the specific part of the pathogen. May need boosters. e.g., Hib, Hep B, HPV, Pneumococcal vaccine
4.       Toxoid vaccines: Uses the toxin which is released by the pathogen. The immune system response targets toxins, rather than the germ. This type of vaccine may also need booster shots. e.g., Diphtheria, Tetanus

References to read more about Vaccines:

UNICEF – https://www.unicef.org/india/stories/know-your-childs-vaccination-schedule
World Health Organization (WHO) – https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets
National Health Service UK (NHS) – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html
GAVI.org – https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/what-herd-immunity?gclid=CjwKCAjw9J2iBhBPEiwAErwpebhmd7KIq_4Ym1QzlBRrYr8ebnYbMOLmpBhk6FBZZ635RbPtDpe76hoCL4QQAvD_BwE
US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) – https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/vaccines-children-guide-parents-and-caregivers#types