Tdap Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Immunization UMPA Form

Instructions and help about Tdap Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Immunization UMPA

The Tdap vaccine protects against three illnesses: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, which is also commonly called whooping cough. Adolescents aged 11 to 18 years old should get a single dose of Tdap, preferably at 11 or 12 years of age. Individuals 19 years or older should also get one Tdap dose if they've never had it before. Children get the DTaP vaccine as infants, but they still need the Tdap vaccine during adolescence. This is because certain vaccines taper off in immunity after time, and that's called waning immunity. Therefore, the booster dose is given at 11 or 12 years of age. As with any vaccine, there can be minor, short-lived reactions, such as pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site itself. A small percentage of people will actually develop a fever, and rarely, brief fainting spells can occur after any medical procedure such as vaccination.