What Is The Tdap Vaccine Schedule
Children ages 7 and older who didnt receive a series of DTaP or DT vaccines should start or complete their vaccination series with Tdap. Preteens should get the Tdap vaccine to boost their immunity.
Adults whove never received the Tdap vaccine should get a dose of Tdap. People ages 7 and older should receive a Tdap vaccine booster shot every 10 years.
Do The Benefits Of The Diphtheria Vaccine Outweigh Its Risks
Diphtheria is an extremely rare cause of disease in the United States. Over the past 20 years there have been only about 15 cases of diphtheria and fewer than five deaths. The last death from diphtheria in the United States was in 2003. Most cases of diphtheria are imported in fact, there have been no cases in U.S. residents since 1999. On the other hand, the diphtheria vaccine has no serious side effects. So although the risk of disease and death from diphtheria is very small, the risk of severe adverse reactions or death from the diphtheria vaccine is zero. In addition, drops in immunization rates in other parts of the world have taught us how quickly outbreaks of diphtheria can return. For these reasons, the benefits of the diphtheria vaccine outweigh its risks.
What Are The Side Effects And Risks Of Tdap And Td
Like all medicines, vaccines can have side effects. However, the chance of a life-threatening reaction is small. The CDC says the dangers of developing pertussis, tetanus, or diphtheria far outweigh the risks of vaccination.
Mild side effects of Tdap may include:
- Pain, redness, or swelling in the arm where the shot was given
- Mild fever
Mild side effects of Td may include:
- Pain, redness, or swelling in the arm where the shot was given
- Mild fever
- Headache
In some people, these side effects may be more intense. They may temporarily interfere with daily activities. Severe swelling of the arm has been reported in three out of 100 people receiving either Tdap or Td. About one in 250 adults who receive the Tdap vaccine develop a fever of 102 F or higher.
During clinical trials of Tdap, two adults developed temporary nervous system problems. It’s unknown whether this was due to the vaccine or not. In rare cases, vaccination with Tdap or Td has led to extreme swelling of the arm where the shot was given.
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Dtap And Tdap Immunization Schedules
The first DTaP immunizations start when children are very young. DTaP shots for young children are typically given at:
- 6 weeks to 2 months
- 4 months
- 4 to 6 years
Thereafter, Tdap booster shots are given to ensure lasting protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
Adolescents are advised to get a booster Tdap shot at around 11 to 12 years. If they miss this, it is OK for them to get a Tdap between 13 and 18 years.
It is recommended that adults get a Tdap shot for one of their tetanus boosters. If you’re 65 and over, Tdap vaccination is also recommended.
Vumc Immunization Policy Requirements:
Starting September 1, 2016, VUMC faculty and staff working in pediatrics, women’s health, and emergency departments are required to document receipt of one dose of Tdap. The policy is targeted to areas where patients are at highest risk of having pertussis or dying from its complications.
The VUMC requirement does not extend to routine Td boosters because it’s pertussis which is a risk in the healthcare setting – tetanus and diphtheria are not. Faculty and staff are considered compliant if they have received one dose of Tdap in their lifetime, and that vaccination record is on file with the Occupational Health Clinic.
If you are in the group of employees covered by the new requirement, you will see a compliance status for Pertussis displayed on the Occupational Health Status page in your Health and Wellness Information Portal.
If you’ve received a Tdap vaccine from a VUMC clinic, click here to give OHC permission to view your medical record for the sole purpose of documenting Tdap vaccine compliance.If you’ve received a Tdap vaccine from an outside vaccinating entity , click here to upload documentation from the outside vaccinating entity or fax your documentation to OHC at 615-936-0966.
To receive a Tdap vaccine, come to the Occupational Health Clinic or to one of our OHC Comes To You events.
If you are unable to take the Tdap vaccine and work in an area where it is required, you may request an exemption here.
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Dtap Tdap And Td Vaccines
The DTaP and Tdap vaccines both protect against three bacterial infections: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, whereas the Td vaccine only protects against diphtheria and tetanus. In addition, the vaccines vary in terms of who should receive them and the quantities of vaccine proteins they contain:
- DTaP: The DTaP vaccine is given to infants and young children in a series of five shots at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and again at 4 to 6 years of age.
- Tdap: The Tdap vaccine is different from the DTaP vaccine because it contains lesser quantities of diphtheria and pertussis proteins. For this reason, Tdap is much less likely than DTaP to cause side effects such as pain, redness and tenderness in adolescents and adults. The Tdap vaccine is recommended for most people 11 years and older who have not previously received it. People due for a tetanus booster and those with a wound that warrants tetanus vaccination can get Tdap or Td vaccine.
- Td: The Td vaccine is the one people commonly think of when they think of getting their tetanus booster. Like Tdap, it contains lesser quantities of diphtheria protein to reduce the occurrence of side effects in adults. Adults should get a dose of Tdap or Td every 10 years as well as if they have a wound that warrants tetanus vaccination.
Should Babies Be Vaccinated Against Whooping Cough
The first protection against whooping cough that your baby will receive is from the Tdap vaccine you get during pregnancy. Because this protection wanes quickly, they will need to be protected with their own vaccines beginning at 2 months of age. Your baby will need a series of three diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccines at 2, 4, and 6 months to build up initial immunity. After that, additional doses are given in childhood and throughout life.
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Can You Get Tdap After Delivery
Ideally, all family members should be vaccinated at least 2 weeks before coming in contact with the newborn. If not administered during pregnancy, the Tdap vaccine should be given immediately postpartum if the woman has never received a prior dose of Tdap as an adolescent, adult, or during a previous pregnancy.
Who Should Get Tdap/td Vaccines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends Tdap vaccine for everyone starting at age 11 or 12 years with booster shots using Td vaccine through adulthood.
One dose of Tdap vaccine is recommended for:
- Kids aged 7 to 10 years who did not get all 5 doses of DTaP vaccine.
- Adolescents aged 11 to 18 years .
- Pregnant women need to get Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, even if they’ve been vaccinated before. This gives moms more time to develop immunity to protect their baby against whooping cough, and she will pass some protection on to the baby. The best time for pregnant women to get the vaccine is as early as possible between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation .
- Adults aged 19 years of age and older, especially anyone in close contact with babies less than 12 months of age. Grandparents Protect your loved ones against flu and whooping cough Other languages available
- Healthcare workers who have direct patient contact.
After a person receives a single dose of Tdap vaccine, Td vaccine is recommended as a booster shot every 10 years as an adult. Tdap vaccine can be given in place of Td vaccine for these booster shots if the provider doesn’t have Td vaccine in stock.
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What Are The Benefits Of The Tdap Vaccine
The Tdap vaccine reduces your risk of getting tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Diphtheria and pertussis are infections that spread from person to person. Tetanus doesnt spread from person to person but can enter your body through cuts or wounds. All three diseases can cause serious, life-threatening health conditions.
What Do The Uppercase And Lowercase Letters Mean In The Vaccine Names
Uppercase letters mean the vaccine has a full-strength dose of that part of the vaccine. The lowercase d and p in Tdap mean the vaccine uses smaller doses of diphtheria and pertussis.
The a in Tdap is an abbreviation for acellular. Acellular means the vaccine contains only part of the pertussis bacteria instead of the whole bacteria.
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If I Had The Dtp Vaccine As A Child Do I Need The Booster Vaccine For Pertussis
Yes. Adults who have not previously gotten the Tdap vaccine should receive a single dose. Pregnant women should get the Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks gestation during each pregnancy because pertussis can be fatal to young infants. Although any time during this window is fine, public health personnel suggest earlier rather than later during the window for maximum protection for the baby.
The Tdap vaccine is also recommended for all adolescents 11 or 12 years old.
Do Adults Really Need Tetanus Booster Shots
- Wendy Stead, MD, Contributor
If you havent had a tetanus booster shot in the past decade, your doctor may recommend getting one. Many people think of a tetanus shot as something you only need if you step on a rusty nail. Yet even in the absence of a puncture wound, this vaccine is recommended for all adults at least every 10 years. But why? A group of researchers recently questioned whether you need to repeat tetanus vaccines on a regular schedule.
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Is The Td Vaccine Safe
Yes. Side effects of the Td vaccine are mild and last for only few days after getting the shot. Mild pain, swelling and redness are common at the spot where the shot was given. A few people may get a mild fever, lose their appetite or feel tired for a day or two after the shot. You should always discuss the benefits and risks of any vaccine with your doctor/nurse practitioner.
Tdap Vaccine: When To Get It Side Effects And Safety
Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis are infectious bacterial diseases. Without treatment, they can lead to severe complications, and in some instances, they are fatal. The Tdap vaccine protects against all three diseases.
The Tdap vaccine is highly effective. Since the introduction of vaccines, cases of diphtheria and tetanus have dropped by 99% , while cases of pertussis have dropped by 80%.
Doctors can give Tdap as a primary immunization or as a booster vaccine, meaning it tops up the immunity a person already has to an illness.
In this article, we will discuss what the Tdap vaccine is, how safe it is, who should get it, and possible side effects.
Tdap is a booster vaccine. It protects people from the following illnesses.
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A Note From Cleveland Clinic
Diphtheria vaccines protect children and adults from a disease called diphtheria. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that causes severe inflammation. It can lead to pneumonia, lung failure, paralysis and even death. Although diphtheria once was common in the United States, the diphtheria vaccine has made the condition rare in developed countries. Young children receive diphtheria vaccines as a series of five shots. After age 12, most people receive a diphtheria vaccine once every 10 years.
Quick Reference Guide For Tdap
If you think tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis are diseases from the past century…Think again.
These diseases, especially whooping cough, have unfortunately seen a resurgence in recent years. For your vaccine safety, its important to know the vaccine recommendations for Tdap.
Heres a quick Tdap guide for your reference:
- Adolescents Its best practice that 11 and 12-year-olds get the Tdap shot during their annual checkup as a booster for the 5-series DTaP shots they received as a child.
- Pregnant Women Babies cannot receive a birth dose of DTaP until theyre 2 months old, so expectant moms should receive the Tdap shot during their third trimester . Dont worry: APIC has confirmed the vaccine is safe during pregnancy!
- Individuals in Close Contact with Newborns Besides pregnant women, anyone who has close contact with babies including grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as healthcare workers should receive a shot of Tdap if they havent already received it.
- If you havent received a Tdap shot since it became available in 2005, you should get immunized to ensure you and those around you dont get whooping cough.
Support the health and wellness of you and your family with the most up-to-date information on Tdap vaccines from the online GoHealth Urgent Care Health Library and sleep well at night, knowing you are protected!
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What Does The New Study On Tetanus Boosters Suggest
A recent paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases suggested that tetanus and diphtheria booster vaccines are not necessary for adults who have completed their childhood vaccination series. This advice aligns with the current World Health Organization recommendations. The researchers reviewed WHO data from 31 North American and European countries between 2001 and 2016, amounting to 11 billion person-years. . After comparing the incidence of tetanus and diphtheria, they found no significant difference in disease rates in countries that require adults to receive booster shots compared with those that do not. Based on this, the authors suggest that childhood vaccination alone protects sufficiently against tetanus and diphtheria without booster shots.
Should I Get Vaccinated
Reports show that before vaccinating adults against these bacterial infections, there were hundreds of thousands of cases each year. With vaccination, however, the U.S. has cut down on cases of tetanus and diphtheria by 99% and pertussis by 80%.
Whether you should get a Tdap shot depends on several factors, according to guidelines from the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices . Lets take a look at some unique scenarios that can help when youre determining if the shot is necessary or not.
For the full report on if Tdap is recommended for you, visit the CDC website.
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How Effective Is The Whooping Cough Vaccine
The whooping cough vaccine is highly effective when people get all the recommended doses. In children, DTaP protects:
- About 98 out of 100 children for at least a year after the fifth shot.
- About 7 out of 10 children for five years after the fifth shot.
In adults, Tdap protects:
- About 7 in 10 people for the first year after the shot.
- About 4 in 10 people for four years after the shot.
When pregnant women get Tdap, the vaccine protects:
- More than 3 out of 4 babies from getting whooping cough in the first 2 months of life.
- About 9 out of 10 babies from getting severe whooping cough infections that require hospitalization.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Pertussis vaccines protect children, teens and adults from whooping cough. Whooping cough is a respiratory disease that causes uncontrollable coughing fits followed by a whoop sound. In babies, whooping cough can lead to severe complications. All children, adults and pregnant women should get the whooping cough vaccine. Young children receive the vaccine as a series of five shots before age 7. Starting around age 11 to 12, teens and adults receive a booster pertussis vaccine every 10 years.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 06/25/2021.
References
When To Delay Or Avoid Dtap Immunization
Simple colds or other minor illnesses should not prevent immunization, but your doctor might choose to reschedule the vaccine if your child has a more serious illness.
Talk to your doctor about whether getting the vaccine is a good idea if your child had any of the following after an earlier DTaP shot:
- a brain or nervous-system problem, like coma or seizures
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- severe pain or swelling of a whole arm or leg
Your doctor might give a partial vaccine or no vaccine, or may decide that the benefits of vaccinating your child outweigh the potential risks.
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What Are Prevention Strategies For Whooping Cough Without The Vaccine
The whooping cough vaccine is safe and recommended for most adults. However, some people with certain medical conditions may not be able to get the vaccine.
If your doctor advises you not to get the vaccine, here are some steps you can take to lower your risk of contracting the infection:
- Practice good hand hygiene, by washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time.
- Avoid close contact with people who show signs or symptoms of whooping cough.
- Encourage other members of your household to get the whooping cough vaccine.
If someone in your household has been diagnosed with whooping cough, let your doctor know. In some cases, they might encourage you to take preventive antibiotics. This may help lower your chances of contracting the infection.
People whove received the vaccine can also use these prevention strategies to further reduce their chances of getting whooping cough.