Pertussis-containing vaccine is recommended in a 5-dose schedule at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months, and 4 years of age.
Infants can have their 1st dose of pertussis-containing vaccine as early as 6 weeks of age. Before maternal vaccination was widespread, this strategy was estimated to prevent an extra 8% of infant pertussis cases at a population level.1,2
If the 1st dose of pertussis-containing vaccine is given at the age of 6 weeks, infants should still receive their next scheduled doses at 4 months and 6 months of age.
Doses of pertussis-containing vaccine at 18 months and 4 years of age are needed because pertussis immunity wanes after receiving the infant doses.3 Preschool and school-aged children can be an important source of infection for infants.4-6
The vaccines usually received at each schedule point are:
2, 4 and 6 months of age — DTPa-hepB-IPV-Hib (diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b)