The Claim in Context
As the United States continues to experience outbreaks of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, false rumors wrongly claim that because the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine is a multi-dose series, the vaccine isn’t effective. Multiple studies have confirmed that the DTaP vaccine is safe, effective and is the best way to protect a child from the serious effects of whooping cough.
Key Facts
- Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes uncontrollable coughing fits. As infants or children try to catch their breath between coughs, they make a "whooping" sound, which is why pertussis is also called whooping cough.
- The most effective way to protect against whooping cough is immunization with the DTaP vaccine and its boosters. It is given in five doses in infancy through early childhood.
- The initial series helps the body develop immunity, and booster doses ensure that protection doesn’t fade over time.
- While DTaP is a vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, in the U.S., it is typically given as a “combination vaccine to protect against other infections, too.
- Pertussis is especially dangerous for young babies, who are at high risk of hospitalization and death. Around a third of infants under six months old who came down with whooping cough in 2024 required hospitalization.
- It is also important that women who are pregnant receive the vaccine to protect newborns.
- Repeated doses of Tdap in adults are not recommended as a primary strategy to reduce the overall burden of pertussis in adults. The vaccine plays a critical role in protecting infants and those most vulnerable, but it's not intended as a routine measure to prevent pertussis in the general adult population.
- Complications of pertussis include pneumonia, vomiting, seizures, shortness of breath and apnea, which is when breathing temporarily stops. Infants often turn blue during coughing spells because of lack of oxygen.
Evidence Snapshot
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whooping cough cases have increased dramatically. In 2024, 35,493 cases were reported — up from 7,099 cases in 2023. The pertussis vaccine helps children’s immune systems develop the best protection against whooping cough. For children who get all 5 doses on schedule, DTaP fully protects 98% of children within the year following the last dose and about 71% of children 5 years after getting the last dose of DTaP.
Why It Matters
Whooping cough can make kids sick at any age and is especially dangerous for young babies. Children under 1 year old are at the highest risk of suffering serious complications or death as a result of contracting the disease due to their underdeveloped immune systems and inability to be vaccinated under the age of 2 months. In communities with lower immunization rates, more children are at risk of contracting and spreading pertussis and other vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Experts Say:
“Whooping cough is miserable for anyone who gets it, but the main reason we vaccinate against pertussis is to protect infants who are at high risk for hospitalization and death. Watching your child turn blue as they struggle to catch their breath is terrifying. Whooping cough is preventable. The DTaP vaccine and its boosters are safe and extremely effective.”
— Sean O'Leary, MD, MPH, FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics Chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases.
Resources for Further Information
Last Updated
04/22/2025
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics