Practices have been restricted to ordering just five doses a week of Repevax vaccine for delivering preschool whooping cough booster jabs, according to latest advice from public health chiefs.
GPs can however continue to place unlimited orders of the Infanrix IPV Hib vaccine for the preschool booster, which is given at three years and four months, Public Health England (PHE)said.
There are no restrictions on Repevax for vaccinating pregnant women against pertussis infection, but PHE urged GPs ‘to order sensibly’ and switch to a new vaccine – Boostrix-IPV – for pregnant women from July, so they can then use any oustanding doses of Repevax for the preschool booster.
PHE’s May Vaccine Update stated: ‘To balance stocks of vaccine for the pre-school booster, orders for Repevax have been capped at one order of five doses per week per practice. There is no restriction on Infanrix IPV which can continue to be ordered for the preschool booster.
‘There is also no restriction on orders for Repevax for the pregnant women programme, but please order responsibly and remember that Boostrix-IPV will be available to order from 1 June.’
