The Chesterfield Health District has about 400 doses of Tdap vaccine available for adults 19 and older, and it will have a free walk-in vaccine clinic Wednesday afternoon.
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts also have free adult Tdap vaccine, with shots available by appointment during regular immunization clinics.
The vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
State health officials recently expanded eligibility for the free Tdap vaccine, which initially had been targeted to people in regular contact with infants younger than 1 year, pregnant and postpartum women, and people who are uninsured or underinsured.
Adults are recommended to get pertussis vaccination partly to protect young children who haven't gotten all the shots they need to have their own protection. Whooping cough, as pertussis also is known, can be very serious in young children.
Virginia reported 367 cases of pertussis in 2011, compared with 384 in 2010, but both years were up significantly from just a few years ago. The disease tends to rise and fall cyclically.
"This is a great opportunity for adults who have not had a tetanus vaccination in several years to get their booster while also helping protect themselves from diphtheria and pertussis," said physician Parham Jaberi, director of the Chesterfield Health District.
Jaberi said eligibility was expanded to reach more people.
"While the rates of pertussis were not increasing, we did not see a significant decrease either," he said.
Adults are recommended to get a tetanus booster once every 10 years.
The free Tdap vaccine clinic is from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Chesterfield Health Department, 9501 Lucy Corr Circle. No appointment is necessary. For information, call (804) 768-7499.
The Richmond City Health District offers free Tdap vaccine during regular weekly immunization clinics, 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 to 11 a.m. Fridays. Appointments are required and can be made at (804) 482-5500.
The Henrico Health District has been working with child-care centers to give Tdap shots to workers and also has free vaccine available by appointment at its regular immunization clinics. Call the west clinic at (804) 501-4651 and the east clinic at (804) 652-3190 for information.
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