New whooping cough booster for 18 month old children

A whooping cough booster has been added to the NIP for children at 18 months of age. The booster dose complements whooping cough containing vaccinations given at two, four and six months with booster doses given at four years and 10 to 15 years. Supplies of the vaccine will be available from March 2016.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) considers the re-introduction of a whooping cough booster dose at 18 months necessary from a public health perspective to improve pertussis control. This is due to waning immunity following primary immunisation and an increase in the number of infections in the two to nine age group in recent years.

Introduction of the booster dose at 18 months on the NIP is intended to lead to a reduction in cases of whooping cough in the 18 month to four year old age group.

For more information about the new booster dose refer to the health professionals page. More information about whooping cough is available on the whooping cough (pertussis) page.