California law requires that all students going into seventh grade be immunized with a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine booster called Tdap. This includes current students, new students and transfer students in both public and private schools. Schools must receive proof of the Tdap booster before the student can attend class in the fall unless they have a documented exemption.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Pertussis (whooping cough) is very contagious and can cause serious illness ― especially in infants too young to be fully vaccinated. Pertussis vaccines are recommended for children, teens, and adults, including pregnant women.
Whooping cough — or pertussis — is a serious and very contagious respiratory disease that can cause long, violent coughing fits and the characteristic “whooping” sound that follows when a person gasps for air.
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| Centers for Disease Control has information for kids. Go there. |
Most children get vaccinated against whooping cough as babies and get a booster shot before starting kindergarten or first grade. But protection from these vaccines wears off, leaving pre-teens at risk for infection that can cause prolonged illness, disruptions in school and activities, and even hospitalization. To boost immunity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the Tdap vaccine for all 11- and 12-year-olds.
“It’s important for pre-teens to get a one-time dose of Tdap to protect themselves and those around them from whooping cough,” said Anne Schuchat, MD, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “Young infants are most vulnerable to serious complications from pertussis and can be infected by older siblings, parents, or other caretakers.”
For infants, whooping cough can be deadly.
“Unfortunately, the most recent survey shows that only a little more than half of teens have received the Tdap vaccine,” said Dr. Schuchat. “By taking their pre-teen to get Tdap, parentscan protect their child and help stop this disease from spreading.”
Tdap is one of three vaccines CDC specifically recommends for pre-teens. The others are the meningococcal vaccine, which protects against meningococcal disease, including bacterial meningitis, and, for girls, the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical cancer. Boys and young men can get HPV vaccine to prevent genital warts. Of course, the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older.
Pre-teens should also be up-to-date on so-called childhood vaccines to prevent hepatitis B, chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. These recommendations are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. To learn more, visit CDC’s adolescent vaccine website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/preteen or call 800-CDC-INFO.
Children who received a DTP, DTap or Tdap shot on or after their seventh birthday meet the Tdap booster requirement and do not need another shot. Parents and guardians can simply provide their child’s school with a copy of the updated shot record.
The Feb. 13 free clinic is sponsored by San Diego Unified's Nursing and Wellness Program and is open to all San Diego Unified students.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who can sign the consent form. No appointment is needed.
For information regarding immunizations needed for school, visit www.shotsforschool.org.
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