In 1st year of second level school, students will be offered a tetanus and low dose diphtheria and low dose pertussis (whooping cough) booster vaccine (Tdap).
This vaccine is given by a HSE doctor or nurse to students in First year of second level school in the school.
If a student misses that immunisation in school, the HSE will arrange for them to be vaccinated at a HSE clinic.
In Ireland, all the recommended childhood vaccines given in the schools immunisation programme are free.
We have compared the possible complications of developing Diphtheria, Tetanus, or Whooping Cough with the possible side effects of getting the Tdap vaccine.
| Disease |
Effects of Disease |
Side Effects of the Vaccine |
| Diphtheria- contagious bacteria that is spread by close contact with an infected person or carrier and cause a sore throat and severe breathing difficulties. |
If 1000 people get diphtheria
The bacteria release a toxin (poison) which can lead to paralysis and heart failure.
|
If 1000 people get vaccinated
- 100 will have discomfort, redness and swelling where the injection was given or have a fever.
|
| Tetanus - bacteria from soil which release a toxin and causes painful muscle spasms, convulsions and lockjaw. |
If 1000 people get tetanus:
The risk is greatest for the very young or old.
|
If 1000 people are immunised:
- 100 will have discomfort, redness and swelling where the injection was given or will have a fever.
|
| Pertussis (Whooping Cough) - contagious bacteria that spread by close contact with an infected person and cause a "Whooping" cough and vomiting. The diseases can last up to three months. |
If 1,000 people get whooping cough:
- 2 will die from pneumonia or brain damage (almost all deaths are in children under the age of 6 months)
- 10 will have fits (15 if under 6 months old)
- 1 will get encephalitis (2 if under 6 months old);
- 50 will get pneumonia (100 if under 6 months old)
- 200 will need to go into hospital
|
If 1000 people are immunised:
- 100 will have discomfort, redness and swelling where the injection was given or will have a fever
4 in 10,000 will cry for more than three hours after immunisation in infancy; and
1 in 10,000 will have a convulsion (fit) in infancy.
|
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Giving COVID-19 vaccines with vaccines included in the schools immunisation programme
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) (you will be directed to the RCPI website) say that other vaccines can be given with COVID-19 vaccines. A gap is not needed between COVID-19 vaccines and the vaccines offered as part of the school vaccination programme.
If other vaccines are being given at the same time as COVID-19 vaccines, if possible they should be given in different limbs.
Name of the vaccine
The Tdap vaccine used in the school programme is called Boostrix. It is manufactured by GSK. The licensed documents for each vaccines the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Patient Information Leaflet are available from the HPRA Website. (you will be directed to the HPRA website)
The following information materials are available for parents of children in First Year of secondary schools.
Information booklet
English (1.065 MB) | Irish (921 KB) | Arabic (228KB) | Polish (234KB) | Romanian (228KB) | Russian (209KB) | Simplified Chinese (397KB) | Ukrainian (210KB)
Letter to parents and guardians
English (152 KB) | Irish (118 KB)
Consent form
English (178 KB) | Irish (180 KB)
Post Vaccination Advice
English (140 KB) | Irish (142 KB)
If you have any other queries please contact the schools immunisation programme office in your area.
The following information materials are available for healthcare professionals carrying out this programme.
Click on the link you require to download the document.
This page was updated on 22 August 2024
