Cocooning

“Cocooning” is defined as the immunization of family members and close contacts of a newborn. (Global Pertussis Initiative 2011)

• Family members includes, but is not limited to, mother, father, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins

• Close Contacts includes, but is not limited to, babysitters, day care workers, health care providers, friends and other children.

• “Cocooning” means immunizing everyone a newborn to 12 month old comes in contact with, so none of them can give the vulnerable infant pertussis. Concurrently, the infant should be receiving his/her DTaP vaccinations on schedule to build his/her own immunity over time.

• Some hospitals provide Tdap vaccine for only the mother of newborns.  This is partial “cocooning.”  The newborn is much better protected if both parents are vaccinated prior to leaving the hospital, and all other family members are highly encouraged to be vaccinated as soon as possible to further protect the infant.

• Remember!  It takes 10-14 days for the immune system to build antibodies!  Parents and family members are NOT protected from pertussis immediately upon receiving the vaccine and should consider getting a Tdap several weeks or months before the newborn arrives.
  

The Nevada State Immunization Program wishes to share the knowledge and resources compiled to launch and maintain cocooning programs in Nevada.  To assist fellow health care organizations launch cocooning efforts in their region, a “Cocooning Toolkit” has been compiled and posted below.  Please feel free to contact Kathie Lloyd (see contact info at bottom of page) with questions or concerns.

Cocooning Toolkit

• Policies and Procedures for Pertussis Prevention (pdf)

• Policies and Procedures for Documentation of all Immunizations in Nevada WebIZ (state-specific law) (pdf)

• Standing Orders for Tdap after a vaginal birth (Postpartum) (pdf)

• Standing Orders for Tdap after a cesarean section (Postpartum) (pdf)

• Click here to download the most current Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) for Tdap (and all other vaccinations)

• Tdap questionnaire and consent form (English & Spanish) (pdf)