In France, as in all countries benefiting from a high vaccination coverage, pertussis affects children very little, but it affects infants not protected by vaccination as well as adolescents or adults likely to contaminate very young infants.
The French High Council for public health (HCSP) was asked to give its opinion on the appropriateness of giving pertussis boosters to adults as part of cocooning and in professional settings, notably for staff who come into contact with infants aged 6 months and under.
The HCSP took the following information into consideration for adolescents and adults: current immunisation recommendations, epidemiology, vaccination coverage, strain evolution, usable vaccines, tolerance of repeated doses, and length of protection.
The HCSP reminds that, as part of the current immunisation schedule, the booster recommended at the age of 25 must include the pertussis valence (dTcaPolio), unless the person has received a pertussis vaccine dose in the last five years. Anyone not vaccinated at this age can benefit from a dTcaPolio booster vaccine up until the age of 39.
It recommends in the context of the cocooning strategy, that anyone previously vaccinated against pertussis in adulthood more than 10 years ago and finding themselves once again in a cocooning situation should be revaccinated. For healthcare and early years professionals, it recommends that boosters be administered at the ages of 25, 45 and 65 years include henceforth the pertussis valence (dTcaP vaccine).
- Recommendation
- Europe
- France
- Pertussis
