PSA: Get your Tdap shot!

[picksthemusic]

If you're around kids a lot (or are pregnant, and even if you're NOT around kids a lot), you need to get your Tdap shot. There is an official Washington State epidemic of pertussis (whooping cough) right now, and kids and babies are dying because adults and teens are passing it on to them. Not all of them die, but a lot do, and it's SO preventable. Adults and teens can fight it better than babies/toddlers can, so it's up to us to get ourselves vaccinated. Just thought I'd throw that out there!

[jennlin]

:y:

[Deleted]

I think I'm failing at reading.

If I'm not around kids do I still need it?

[jennlin]

May 23, 2012 18:45:33 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

I think I'm failing at reading.

If I'm not around kids do I still need it?

yes, because if you can get it, you can give it to someone who is around kids. i.e. coworkers who have kids. it's best to squash it before there's any possibility. the shot took less than 10 mins in the waiting room, and was free for both my h and i through insurance...through most decent insurances, it shouldn't cost any money.

[amandasw]

it's part of the tetanus shot, so if you've had that, you're probably ok. I found out about this over a month ago because a co-worker left work early and sent an email the next day that her kid had it

luckily she didn't have it so then we weren't all exposed, but I know several people who had kids went and got boosters.

[Deleted]

If I had a tetnus shot in late 2009 does that work?

[picksthemusic]

May 23, 2012 18:49:46 GMT -5 @amandasw said:

it's part of the tetanus shot, so if you've had that, you're probably ok. I found out about this over a month ago because a co-worker left work early and sent an email the next day that her kid had it

luckily she didn't have it so then we weren't all exposed, but I know several people who had kids went and got boosters.

Yes and no. A lot of people may have been updated with just Td and not Tdap, so you should check just in case.

And yes, UW, you should get it, too, even if you're not around kids.

[amandasw]

May 23, 2012 18:51:54 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

May 23, 2012 18:49:46 GMT -5 @amandasw said:

it's part of the tetanus shot, so if you've had that, you're probably ok. I found out about this over a month ago because a co-worker left work early and sent an email the next day that her kid had it

luckily she didn't have it so then we weren't all exposed, but I know several people who had kids went and got boosters.

Yes and no. A lot of people may have been updated with just Td and not Tdap, so you should check just in case.

right, pp should check - but I was throwing that out there because I think it's getting more common for it to all be together and people may not need another shot if they can find out.

[jennlin]

May 23, 2012 18:51:45 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

If I had a tetnus shot in late 2009 does that work?

*should* be okay. most tetanus shot include pertussis (sp?) but not all... do you have a copy of your med records? it's called DTP, TP, Tdap, DTap...or other similar ones...if you got DT (which is a tetanus), it didn't include pertussis.

[Deleted]

May 23, 2012 18:53:50 GMT -5 jennlin said:

May 23, 2012 18:51:45 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

If I had a tetnus shot in late 2009 does that work?

*should* be okay. most tetanus shot include pertussis (sp?) but not all... do you have a copy of your med records? it's called DTP, TP, Tdap, DTap...or other similar ones...if you got DT (which is a tetanus), it didn't include pertussis.

I'll have to check when I get home, but in the event that I need this where can I go to get it?

[jennlin]

May 23, 2012 18:56:04 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

May 23, 2012 18:53:50 GMT -5 jennlin said:

*should* be okay. most tetanus shot include pertussis (sp?) but not all... do you have a copy of your med records? it's called DTP, TP, Tdap, DTap...or other similar ones...if you got DT (which is a tetanus), it didn't include pertussis.

I'll have to check when I get home, but in the event that I need this where can I go to get it?

just your regular doc. i went to providence, h went to everett clinic....whatever walk in/primary care you go to will have it.

[Deleted]

My last tetanus shot was approx 2005 but I have zero idea if it was a tDAP and no records I can check. I got it through the county?

It's RIDICULOUS that we're getting epidemics like this! NPR article a few weeks ago said that last year, the confirmed cases was 110. This year? 1100! They've sent in the friggin' CDC, it's that bad.

[emyinpink]

this makes me so mad. I had an extremely severe reaction to the tDAP vaccine as a child (hospitalized, and not only did they stop the shots, the doctors told my parents that I should never get the whooping cough portion of the vaccine). it makes me so so angry that people like me were at risk for something so preventable.

unfortunately I still am not supposed to get it .

[tacocat]

You can get it at some pharmacies as well. Super fast and super easy!