October 4, 2023
Five facts about the TDaP vaccine
Over the past few years we have shared a lot of information about the vaccine that fights COVID-19. However, it is not the only vaccine available to people in the United States. Below, we share some information about the TDaP vaccine.
What is the TDaP vaccine?
The TDaP vaccine includes the vaccine for three different illnesses: Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis.
TETANUS (T) causes painful stiffness in the muscles. It can lead to serious health problems, such as not being able to open your mouth, having problems swallowing and breathing, or even death.
DIPHTHERIA (D) can cause difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death.
PERTUSSIS (aP), also known as "whooping cough," can cause violent, uncontrollable coughing that makes it difficult to breathe, eat, or drink. Whooping cough can be very serious, especially in babies and young children, and can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or death. In adolescents and adults, it can cause weight loss, loss of bladder control, fainting, and rib fractures from intense coughing.
Who can receive the vaccine?
The TDaP vaccine is for all people 7 years of age and older, with the following considerations:
Adolescents should receive a single dose of TDaP, preferably at age 11 or 12.
Adults who have never received the TDaP vaccine can receive one dose.
Adults who have previously received the TDaP vaccine can receive a booster dose of TDaP every 10 years, or every 5 years if they have had a serious wound or burn.
Take note!
You can receive the TDaP vaccine at the same time as other vaccines.
If you have mild illnesses, like a cold, you can get vaccinated, but if you have a more serious illness or symptoms, you should usually wait until you recover before getting the TDaP vaccine.
Can pregnant or breastfeeding people receive the TDaP vaccine?
Vaccines are safe. In particular, getting the TDaP vaccine during pregnancy is safe for both women and their babies. TDaP provides safety for ten years if given during pregnancy, for both mother and baby.
Receiving this vaccine during pregnancy does not put women at greater risk for complications.
Receiving the TDaP vaccine while breastfeeding is safe for women and their babies. Women can and should get the vaccine if they plan to breastfeed or are currently doing so.
Women can receive the TDaP vaccine, the influenza (flu) vaccine, and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time during pregnancy. There could also be situations where they receive them at different visits. The CDC recommends that the TDaP vaccine be given later in pregnancy to better protect the baby against whooping cough. However, the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines can be given at any time during pregnancy.
What are the risks of reaction to the vaccine?
After vaccination against TDaP, sometimes people experience pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site, mild fever, headache, fatigue, and nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain.
How can I learn more?
Call your local or state health department.
Visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website for vaccine package inserts and additional information.
Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by calling 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or visiting CDC vaccination sites.
If you have questions about your labor rights, or health and safety in your workplace, call Centro de los Derechos del Migrante
From the United States: 1 855 234 9699
From Mexico: 800 590 1773
Visit SOL at Covid-chat.org