The vaccine to prevent whooping cough is here and experts warn you may need a second dose.
It’s called the first dose of Whooping Cough Jr. and it combines the older and newer licensed series of vaccines with the whooping cough vaccine that makes people cough for 14 days following vaccination. The new vaccine is rolling out in several states, including Ohio, where resident Mary French saw the WHO warning on the TV and decided to get it. She was vaccinated eight years ago, and wondered about it again.
The new version of the vaccine reduces an infant’s susceptibility to whooping cough by 90 percent to 94 percent. The bug can cause dangerous and sometimes deadly complications.
But since it takes a few days for a second dose to become effective, some worry about others who got the first dose at around 6 months.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several states point out whooping cough is still very common and people often do not get vaccinated until they are in the 7-10 year range.
If you’re a parent worried about this, be sure to keep track of this and ask your pediatrician for further guidance.
Missed the shot?
If you did not get vaccinated, the state health department will probably contact you. They will likely say that your child was not vaccinated and you can call them back to check on your child’s health and what advice they can give to you.
The AAP says a second dose is a completely different process and that it should happen around 1 year old.
Another option is to get an extra booster at 3-5 years of age. You may also have to be tested to make sure you are a good match for the new immune booster.
Vaccines and hypoxia
Another potentially problematic reaction to whooping cough vaccines can be hypoxia. Hypoxia is short for “hypoxic exercise syndrome,” and it can happen during vaccines and shortly afterward. Symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness and lightheadedness. In extreme cases, you may even see seizures. The normal healthy response to being vaccinated usually lasts about 7-10 days, but in rare cases, complications can last as long as 2 months. However, symptoms often get better on their own and the health department will monitor the child for several weeks afterwards.
According to the CDC, a number of people have experienced hypoxia during the first dose of the new Whooping Cough Jr vaccine.
Children with more severe asthma, heart problems or other medical conditions were more likely to experience hypoxia.
Some cases of fever or elevated blood pressure (vomiting) were also reported among people receiving the first dose of the new vaccine.
We all know that vaccines work. Every time someone contracts whooping cough, they will develop antibodies to protect you, and for the next few months you can protect your child from the disease. Some children actually get sick from getting the first dose of whooping cough, but most generally don’t.
How to get your children vaccinated
According to the CDC, we would all be better off getting vaccinated if we can. You can go to a local health department to get your child vaccinated. You may also need to get a simple negative reaction to the vaccine to know it is ready to use. And of course, you should always ask your child’s doctor about the types of vaccines and get information on the risks of vaccination.
Mary French has never had any problems from getting vaccinated. The new version of the vaccine seems to work well. She feels better about not letting her daughter get whooping cough and says she should be given another shot to help make sure that she is not exposed to the disease.