Guidance

Which pertussis vaccine should you use

Updated 28 June 2024

Applies to England

To give to pregnant women during each pregnancy

ADACEL (Sanofi): low dose diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)

Boostrix-IPV or REPEVAX should be given to pregnant women if they have a known severe latex allergy or where ADACEL is not available and to obtain it would result in a delay in vaccination.

To give to babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks

Infanrix hexa (GSK) or Vaxelis (Sanofi): hexavalent vaccine - diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B

Infanrix hexa and Vaxelis should also be offered to children under 10 years of age who have not completed their primary immunisation course.

To give as a pre-school booster vaccine at age 3 years 4 months

Boostrix-IPV (GSK): low dose diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and polio vaccine (dTaP/IPV)

REPEVAX (Sanofi): low dose diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and polio vaccine (Tdap/IPV)

Either Boostrix-IPV or REPEVAX can be given as the pre-school booster vaccine (offered routinely at 3 years and 4 months and to children up to 10 years of age who have not received it).

ADACEL does not contain polio and should therefore not be offered as the pre-school booster vaccine. Pertussis-containing vaccine is not routinely offered after 10 years of age, other than to pregnant women and eligible healthcare workers.