MAYWOOD, Ill. - The New England Journal of Medicine is releasing a study today concluding that protection against pertussis, better known as whooping cough, wanes during the five years after the fifth dose of the vaccine DTaP is given.
Children in the United States who are vaccinated receive five doses of the DTaP vaccine, which includes protection from diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis before age 7. The study concluded that the current vaccine’s protection wanes during the five years after the fifth dose is given. The vaccines are given during a child’s scheduled visits to their primary care physician. Recently, many states have recommended adults receive a DTaP booster for protection against the potentially deadly whooping cough virus.
Loyola University Health System infectious disease and primary care physicians are available to comment on the vaccine’s waning protection as well as what it means for adult and pediatric patients.
For media inquiries, please contact Evie Polsley at epolsley@lumc.edu or call (708) 417-5100 or Stasia Thompson at thoms@lumc.edu or call (708) 417-5036.