Routine Immunization in Logan, UT

At Abundant Family Practice, we offer and administer immunizations to our patients. We strongly feel that vaccinating children and adults according to the CDC schedule is absolutely necessary to protect all children and young adults. This is one of the essential health services we offer as a family practice.

Who Should Get Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough Vaccines?

The CDC recommends diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination for everyone. We are happy to answer your questions about diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccines.

Babies and Children

It will take 3 shots of DTaP for babies to build up high levels of protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, followed by 2 booster shots to maintain protection through early childhood. The CDC recommends bringing in your child for these shots at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, sometime between 15 and 18 months, and sometime between age 4 and 6 years.

Preteens and Teens

Preteens are recommended to get one shot of Tdap between their 11th and 12th birthdays to boost their immunity.

Pregnant Women

To protect their babies from whooping cough in their first few months of life, pregnant women should get Tdap early in the third trimester.

Adults

All adults who never received a Tdap shot should get one. It can be given at any time, regardless of the last time they had a Td shot. They should get either a Td or Tdap shot every ten years.

Immunizations for Public School

If your child will be attending public school, these are the immunizations required for entry at the kindergarten level:

  • 5 doses of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough)/DT (diphtheria, tetanus) vaccine
  • 4 doses of polio vaccine
  • 2 doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
  • 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine
  • 2 doses of Hepatitis A vaccine
  • 2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

The following additional immunizations are required to enter 7th grade:

  • 1 dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough) vaccine
  • 3 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine
  • 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
  • 1 dose of meningococcal vaccine (only accepted if given after 10 years of age for seventh-grade school entry)

More on the Diseases We Get Immunization From

Diphtheria

A century ago, diphtheria was a major cause of illness and death among children, with 206,000 cases recorded in the United States in 1921 and 15,520 deaths. Beginning in the 1920s, rates dropped sharply in countries that began widespread vaccination. 3 cases of diphtheria have been reported to the CDC in the United States since 2010, though thousands more have been reported globally.

Studies estimate that diphtheria vaccines protect 95% of people who get them for around 10 years. The level of protection decreases with time, which is why adults should get Td or Tdap boosters every 10 years.

Tetanus

The tetanus vaccine was introduced to the routine childhood immunization schedule in the late 1940s. Then, states reported close to 600 cases per year. Tetanus infections declined after the vaccination recommendation. Today, tetanus is uncommon in the United States, with around 30 cases reported per year (nearly all of which are in people who were never vaccinated or didn’t stay up-to-date with their 10-year booster shots).

Studies estimate that nearly all people who receive tetanus vaccines are protected for about ten years, which is why we need 10-year booster shots, like with diphtheria shots.

Whooping Cough

Vaccines for whooping cough or pertussis became widely available in the 1940s, before which around 200,000 children got sick and 9,000 died from the disease each year in the United States alone. After the vaccine was introduced, cases of whooping cough reached an all-time low in the 1970s, but there has been a slow but steady increase since then. Likely reasons for the increase in whooping cough cases include:

  • Increased awareness of the disease
  • Improved diagnostic tests
  • Better reporting of cases
  • Increased spread (circulation) of the bacteria
  • Waning immunity (when a vaccine does not provide long-lasting protection) from current vaccines

Another potential reason is that the bacteria that cause pertussis are constantly changing, though the latest studies suggest that pertussis vaccines remain effective despite recent genetic changes.

How Effective Are Immunizations?

DTaP is effective at protecting 8 or 9 of every 10 children who get it, with effectiveness being very high for children who get all five of their DTaP shots on schedule. In the year following the final shot, 98 of 100 children are protected. 7 of 10 kids are still fully protected 5 years after their last shot of DTaP, and the other three remain partially protected and less likely to develop a serious case if they do get whooping cough.

The first year after the vaccine, Tdap protects 7 out of 10 people, with effectiveness decreasing after each year. 3 or 4 in every 10 people are protected 4 years after getting the Tdap shot.

Stay Up-to-Date on Your Immunizations

If you or your child needs immunizations, we are here to help, and we can answer your questions about the diseases immunizations protect against. You can learn more about our family practice on our business page, and make sure to get directions before you head our way.