What this vaccine protects you from
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a serious disease that can easily spread from person to person (especially within families) through coughing and sneezing.
It causes a skin infection but can also affect the throat causing breathing difficulties.
Diphtheria was a common cause of death in children until the 1940s. But this disease is now very rare in New Zealand because of immunisation.
Tetanus
This rare but serious disease is caused by bacteria found in soil and manure (horse or cow poo). You can get the disease if dirt carrying this bacteria gets into a wound – for example, if your tamariki gets a cut while playing in the garden.
Tetanus toxins caused by the bacteria act like a poison in your body. Symptoms of tetanus disease include painful muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing. In the past, about 1 in 10 people who got tetanus would die from the disease.
Tetanus cannot be spread from person to person. Since we began immunising against tetanus in New Zealand it has become a very rare disease. Almost all cases of tetanus have happened in unvaccinated people.
Whooping cough
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a bacteria that causes breathing difficulties and severe coughing fits. The cough can go on for weeks or months which is why it’s sometimes called the ‘100 day cough’.
Having severe whooping cough can lead to pneumonia, seizures, and other neurological (brain) issues. More than half of babies under 12 months old who catch it need to go to hospital, and up to 1 in 50 of these babies die.
It’s very contagious. It can easily spread between family members by coughing and sneezing. It can also spread quickly around early education centres and schools.
Whooping cough is not under control in New Zealand, and when outbreaks occur, it affects thousands of people.
Whooping cough (pertussis) (internal link)
Polio
Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include headache, diarrhoea, tiredness, and pain in the limbs, back and neck.
In serious cases, it can cause paralysis (muscle weakness) and death. About 1 in 20 hospitalised patients die and up to 1 in 50 patients who survive are permanently paralysed.
In Aotearoa, immunisation against polio started in 1961. Before polio vaccines were available, nearly every person became infected; with babies and young children most affected.
There is no cure for polio – it can only be prevented by immunisation.
Until polio is completely eliminated overseas, there is still a risk of polio being imported into New Zealand.
When to get the vaccine
This booster vaccine is offered to children for free when they are 4 years old.
If your child has missed an immunisation, it's okay. Tamariki can catch up on most immunisations.
For advice, talk to your doctor, nurse, or trusted healthcare professional.
Which vaccine is used
This booster vaccine is called INFANRIX-IPV.
It is given as an injection, normally in the upper arm.
INFANRIX-IPV information — Medsafe (PDF 123 KB) (external link)
Side effects and reactions
Like most medicines, vaccines can sometimes cause reactions. These are usually mild, and not everyone will get them.
Mild reactions are normal and show that your child’s immune system is responding to the vaccine.
If your tamariki is going to have any reactions, they normally happen in the first few days after getting vaccinated. The vaccine itself is gone from your child's body within a few hours or days.
The most common reaction to an immunisation includes:
- a slight fever
- pain or swelling where the needle went in.
Other common reactions
Other common reactions to this vaccine usually happen within 6 to 24 hours. They include:
- crying, being upset, and hard to settle
- loss of appetite
- vomiting or diarrhoea.
Allergic reactions
Serious allergic reactions are extremely rare. Only about 1 in 1 million people will experience this.
Your vaccinator is well-trained and knows what to look for and can treat an allergic reaction quickly if it happens.
Serious allergic reactions normally happen within the first few minutes of vaccination. This is why your tamariki need to wait for up to 20 minutes after immunisation.
More information
Find more information about common side effects, what to look for and how to report side effects.