Whooping Cough - Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (dTpa) Vaccine

Diphtheria is an infectious disease that affects your nose, throat and sometimes your skin¹. It can be life-threatening and is spread through droplets that come out of your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Tetanus is a serious bacterial infection that affects the nerves in your brain and spinal cord that causes painful muscle spasms through your body. It’s spread through bacteria that mainly lives in soil, dust and manure but can be found anywhere. You can be infected if the bacteria enters your bloodstream through an open wound, which includes any wound that’s not clean, bites from animals or human beings or any wound that pierces the skin, such as a scratch from a rusty nail².

Pertussis is also known as Whooping Cough and is also a bacterial infection that causes severe rounds of coughing. It’s called “Whooping Cough” as the “whoop” refers to the sound you may make if you take a quick breath in between rounds of coughing³. It can take weeks or even months for the cough to disappear completely. It’s spread through direct contact with an infected person, such as if they cough or sneeze near you.

¹Healthdirect, Diphtheria, accessed 31 January 2023

²Healthdirect, Tetanus, accessed 31 January 2023

³Healthdirect, Whooping Cough, accessed 31 January 2023

The symptoms vary across the diseases and can be seen below.

Diphtheria symptoms

• A sore throat
• Problems with swallowing
• Mild fever
• Breathing problems¹

Tetanus symptoms

• Muscle spasms in your body, including your face and neck
• A locked jaw
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty talking and swallowing²

Pertussis (Whooping Cough) symptoms

• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• A cough that comes in long uncontrollable bursts
• Severe cough that may cause vomiting, fainting, broken ribs and poor bladder control
• Babies may not have a cough, but can have episodes of turning blue or pauses in their breathing³

¹Healthdirect, Diphtheria, accessed 31 January 2023

²Healthdirect, Tetanus, accessed 31 January 2023

³Healthdirect, Whooping Cough, accessed 31 January 2023

You can be diagnosed with diphtheria through your doctor examining your throat for a grey or green membrane, getting a throat or wound swab or being asked if you’ve got other symptoms of diphtheria¹.

You can be diagnosed with tetanus through examination of recent wounds that have been in contact with soil, your doctor checking for other symptoms such as a stiff neck or jaw and being asked when you had your last tetanus booster².

You can be diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough) through a nose or throat swab or a blood test. Your doctor may also listen to your breathing and ask if you’ve come into contact with someone who has whooping cough³.

¹Healthdirect, Diphtheria, accessed 31 January 2023

²Healthdirect, Tetanus, accessed 31 January 2023

³Healthdirect, Whooping Cough, accessed 31 January 2023

The whooping cough vaccine or ‘dTpa vaccine’ helps to protect from diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. The whooping cough vaccine is only available in Australia in combination with diphtheria and tetanus.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule recommends that this vaccine is given in the following stages:

• Children have their vaccination at two months, four months, 6 months, 18 months and four years of age

• Adolescent booster dose at 12-13 years of age

• Pregnant women between 20 and 32 weeks in each pregnancy

The vaccine is also recommended for any adults who wish to reduce their likelihood of becoming ill or if they are in contact with infants aged less than six months and have not had the vaccine in the previous 10 years.

It is also recommended for adults over 65 years of age to have the vaccine if they have not had one in the previous 10 years. Booster doses are recommended in adults every 10 years.

The vaccine is given via injection into your arm.

Some common side effects of the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (dTpa) vaccine include¹:

• Pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
• Headache
• Feeling unwell
• Joint pain
• Babies who receive the vaccine may become unsettled and grizzly

¹South Australia Health, Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough combination vaccines, accessed 31 January 2023

You can check if your local Blooms The Chemist offers the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (dTpa) vaccine by visiting the Store Finder and searching by vaccine.

Blooms The Chemist Pharmacists can only vaccinate children aged two in QLD and five years or older in other states and territories for the Whooping Cough vaccine, and this varies depending on the regulations in the state or territory where you live. Before booking a vaccine, please check if you’re eligible to receive it.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule has said that the vaccine is free for the following people:

• Children have their vaccination at 18 months, two, four and six years of age.

• Adolescent booster dose at 12-13 years of age

• Pregnant women between 20 and 32 weeks in each pregnancy

However, this varies by state, which you can learn more about here.

If you are eligible for a vaccination under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), you may need to confirm with your selected Blooms The Chemist pharmacy about their NIP vaccine stock availability. Please note that there may be a service fee associated with a NIP vaccination.

Some people may not be eligible to receive this vaccine, which includes¹:

• People who have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to this vaccine or parts of this vaccine previously

¹NSW Health, Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (dTpa) vaccine, accessed 31 January 2023

Yes, you can. Polio, in severe cases, can infect a person’s spinal cord and cause paralysis. It is easily preventable by the polio vaccine, which you can learn more about here.

You don’t need a script to get this vaccine from participating Blooms The Chemist pharmacies.