Tdap Vaccination
Q: I was reading your May/June 2007 issue of the OSHAWatch Newsletter Updates and have a question about whether the Tdap vaccination mentioned on page 2 is required? Also is Tdap the same vaccination as DTaP? Finally, can pregnant employees be given Tdap?
A: Beginning in January 2007, a 1-time dose of Tdap for healthcare workers was recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Like other CDC recommendations, OSHA's enforcement would come through the General Duty Clause. Click for complete Healthcare Worker Vaccination Recommendations.
Is Tdap the same as DTaP? No, the childhood vaccine is DTaP, the vaccine for adolescents and adults is Tdap.
The Tdap vaccine is different from the DTaP vaccine currently given to babies and young children. Tdap contains fewer quantities of diphtheria and pertussis proteins; for this reason, Tdap is much less likely than DTaP to cause side effects such as pain, redness and tenderness in adults. The Tdap vaccine is currently recommended for all adolescents 11 and 12 years of age, healthcare workers, and 19 to 64-year-olds in place of their next Td booster vaccine.
Tdap vaccination during pregnancy? Pregnancy is not considered a contraindication for Tdap or Td vaccination. However, guidance on the use of Tdap during pregnancy is currently under consideration by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Both Tdap manufacturers have established pregnancy registries. Healthcare providers are encouraged to report Tdap vaccination during pregnancy to the following registries: BOOSTRIX to GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals at 1-888-825-5249 and ADACEL to sanofi pasteur at 1-800-822-2463 (1-800-VACCINE).
For more information on healthcare worker vaccination check out Tab 12 of Quality America's OSHA Safety Program Manual.
Posted by Quality America on May 23, 2007 | Comments (0)
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