Submitted by the Bedford Board of Health
The Bedford Board of Health is offering a Tdap clinic on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 from 3PM to 6 PM. The clinic will be held in the Flint Room at the Town Center Building (yellow building behind town hall), 12 Mudge Way, Bedford. The clinic is open to people age 19 years and older. Limited doses are available and will be given on a first come, first served basis.
What is Whooping Cough?
Whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is an illness that causes severe coughing spells which can cause difficulty in breathing, vomiting, sleep disturbance, weight loss and rib fractures. Those afflicted often cough for up to 100 days. Complications can include pneumonia or death.
What is Tdap? Who should get it?
Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects adolescents and adults against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). The CDC recommends one lifetime dose of Tdap to help protect against pertussis and the spread of this disease to others, especially infants who are most at risk for severe and life-threatening complications from pertussis and who cannot be vaccinated before 2 months of age. Additionally, pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during the third trimester of every pregnancy to provide protection to her newborn baby. One dose of Tdap is routinely given at age 11 or 12. People who did not get Tdap at that age should get it as soon as possible. Tdap vaccine is recommended to All people who have not had Tdap before, especially:
- Anyone having close contact with a baby younger than 12 months, including parents, siblings, grandparents, babysitters, and all other childcare providers;
- Pregnant women in their third trimester; this can protect a newborn from whooping cough in the first months of life; and,
- Health Care workers who have direct contact with patients.
Loading ...
