Who should receive the DTaP or Tdap vaccines?
The patient’s age determines the type of vaccine that is given: • DtaP is given by injection to infants and children less than 7 years. • Tdap is given by injection to people age 11 to 64 years. In order for the DTaP vaccine to be fully effective throughout childhood, five doses should be given to children when they are: • 2 months old • 4 months old • 6 months old • 15 to 18 months old (and even as young as 12 months if exposure is likely) • 4 to 6 years old Children with any moderate or severe illness should wait until they are fully recovered before they receive a DTaP injection. The DTaP vaccine should not be given to children over 6 years of age. Older children, teens and adults (11 to 64 years of age) can receive protection from tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis by receiving the Tdap booster vaccine. Tdap vaccine is recommended for adolescents between the ages of 11 and 12 years, and for all other adolescents who have not previously received this vaccine. If an adolescent already
