Whooping Cough Vaccines May Be Wearing Off Too Quickly - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

(KCEN) -- Texas has seen more than 1,000 cases of pertussis or whooping cough this year.

Researchers now say that may be a result of the pertussis vaccine wearing off too quickly.

New information shows the protection rate falls from about 95 percent to 71 percent within five years.

That's with most kids getting the last of their five recommended shots around age 6.

Health officials say kids should get an additional booster shot at 11 or 12 years old.

Almost half of whooping cough cases nationwide have involved children ages 7 to 10.