An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Many servicemembers overdue for Tdap vaccine

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lucretia Cunningham
  • 375th Medical Group
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  As of July 11, 2012 at least 1,558 active duty personnel were due or overdue for a Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis, or Tdap, vaccine according to their Individual Medical Readiness reports.

The pertussis component in the vaccine is commonly known as "whooping cough." Whooping cough is an extremely dangerous and highly contagious bacterial respiratory disease that can be fatal.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed the increase of reported whooping cough cases in 37 states from 2011 to the same time frame in 2012. In 13 of the 37 states reviewed, confirmed whooping cough cases increased more than threefold. As numbers increased from a mere 210 reported cases in all of 2011, to 2,883 cases reported from January 1 through July 7, 2012, Washington State declared a pertussis epidemic. Although receiving a Tdap vaccine has recently been flagged in ASIMS as an active duty readiness requirement, the CDC has been recommending that adults receive a Tdap vaccine in place of a routine 10 year tetanus booster since 2005.

While healthcare providers were vaccinating their due patients with Tdap, numbers of cases and pertussis related deaths continued to rise in the US. These failures to decrease cases of pertussis lead the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to decrease the limitations on Tdap vaccine administration. As of October 2011, and in addition to the regular immunization schedule, ACIP guidelines recommend that adults and adolescents without record of a previous TDap should receive a Tdap irrespective of the date of their last tetanus vaccine. This population also includes women in late 2nd trimester or 3rd trimester of pregnancy, as well as patients over the age of 64 who will come into contact with an infant.

Due to the number of patients that are required to be vaccinated, the Allergy/Immunizations Clinic plans to set up Tdap lines similar to those used during the flu season at the larger units on base. This means if you are assigned to one of the larger squadrons on base, they will come to you with the vaccine.