By Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that the tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio (Tdap-IPV) vaccine offered to children over five years old is to be gradually replaced by the diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (DTaP-IPV) vaccine later this month to provide better protection against pertussis. The Tdap-IPV vaccine is given as one dose to children over five years old and usually before they start elementary school. However, as pertussis antibody levels decline, the Tdap-IPV vaccine will be replaced by the DTaP-IPV vaccine after the remaining doses are used up, the CDC said. The DTaP-IPV vaccine does not cause more adverse effects than the current vaccine, but a few rare cases have shown localized adverse effects on children above seven years old after getting vaccinated, the CDC said. Children that have had encephalopathy or a serious allergic reaction to vaccinations should refrain from getting the DTaP-IPV vaccine.

Source: Taipei Times October 10, 2017 15:56 UTC