Should the grandparents of my children be inoculated against pertussis?

Yes: The latest research demonstrates that approximately 60- 70% of infants with documented whooping cough or pertussis have been infected by contacts with family members. If the grandparents have not been recently vaccinated with the tdap vaccine, they should receive one asap.Remember that pertussis can be deadly in infants.

Probably: The advisory committee on immunization practices recommends that adolescents and adults (e.g., parents, siblings, grandparents, child-care providers, and health-care personnel) who have or anticipate having close contact with an infant aged <12 months should receive a single dose of tdap (acellular pertussis) to protect against pertussis if they have not received tdap previously.