Free Whooping Cough Vaccs for adults....????

[AnyDream]

Hi all

Just wanted to pass on the rumour I heard today (from one who's pretty clued in on these things and who just had the Whooping Cough epidemic at her house).

Apparently if you tell your Dr you're TTC or thinking of trying for another baby soon you are eligible for a free adult booster vacc.

Of course, you will want to discuss the relative merits/problems with the vacc - but as one who is about to pay good $$$ for it, it's worth asking if you're interested.

[mrsmac]

Thats interesting, as one who had whooping cough the year before last i would jump at a vaccine rather than have it! Although it is only 70% effective apparently.

[kawazuki]

no rumour it is true
i work in GP's office and am the practice nurse, so am administering them

they are free for anyone who is in regular contact with children, child care workers, grand parents, people trying to concieve, parents, etc

basically if you can prove you have regular contact with a child or are trying to fall pregnant tell your GP and you will get a free vacciene.

you will recieve BOOSTRIX and is a tetnus and pertusus based vacciene.

so head off and get it done asap

[AnyDream]

Thanks for confirming that Kawazuki!

Although I do suspect that this might be NSW only...it's worth asking your GP.

[Patooties]

My sister and her Df live on the Gold Coast, and they were able to get it for free - as it was making it's way around the area.

[kawazuki]

im pretty sure its an australia wide thing.
as we got the letter from department of health australia. not nsw.

its a federal government initiative i think, brain has died can check at work tomorrow.

also anyone registere with ACIR will be recieving letters about this vacceine and other stuff is about 2 pages.

[Novella]

I had mine 2 months ago and paid $31 through the council as I wanted to protect the girls, was no where near as painful as the cervical vaccine injections ouch they hurt. Oh well, worth the cost but it is good they are offering it free now, might get the grandparents to think about it and df too.

[bon]

I am going to bring this up with my midwife when I have my next appoinment - don't think I will be able to have it while pg (don't think I want to have it either) but will definitely want it after I give birth. I am hoping they will be able to give it to me in the hospital - they have already mentioned that I will need a booster vac for Rubella once I have had the baby, so hoping I can get that and whooping cough together while in hossie. I have told DH that he needs to get one too - that way we will be covered when we have bubs. Its so scary, after reading about those parents whose baby died at 4 weeks age due to whooping cough, I want to do whatever I can to make sure we are all covered.

[AliBaby]

its true also babies are now being immunised for it at 6wks instead of 8weeks

[Bun]

I just got this done and paid $130 for it!

[kawazuki]

you sholdn't of had to pay bon.

if your getting rubella, they should eb able to give you a boostrix aswell but depends i teh hospital stock it.

also the babies here are still getting infarix hexa ( pertussis, tetnus etc etc whoopig cough) at 8 weeks. unless exposed by sibling or parent.

[AliBaby]

i just got told today by my mchn that since a baby died from it on the central coast a week ago or so that they will now give just the whooping couch vac at 6wks. the rest will still be done at 8 weeks.

[kawazuki]

ok im waiting for that memo to come through then..

we had a high number of people get whopping cough this year, so we are being very pro active in the whopping cough vacciene..

but glad to see they are getting it earlier, will see if the gp's i work for are doing the same..