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Effectiveness of the New Zealand pertussis vaccine schedule

Year:
2015
Duration:
6 months
Approved budget:
$134,215.00
Researchers:
Associate Professor Helen Petousis-Harris
Health issue:
Child and youth (healthy) development
Proposal type:
Pertussis Vaccine Effectiveness Project
Lay summary
Pertussis remains a global health problem and despite achieving good immunisation coverage New Zealand continues to experience epidemics of pertussis. Currently available vaccines are not able to offer sustained protection against clinical disease and recent research suggests they may not prevent colonisation or transmission. Pertussis vaccine is currently administered at age 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months, 4 years and 11 years. It is not known what gains could be made in reducing the burden of pertussis in children by implementing an additional dose of vaccine in toddlers and whether this strategy would be cost effective.The focus of this study is the effectiveness of the current childhood pertussis immunisation schedule and the potential impact on disease and cost effectiveness of introducing an addition dose.