New Law: Hospitals Will Offer Pertussis Boosters to New Parents

State Sen. Kemp Hannon, R-Garden City joined New York State Assemb. Steve Englebright, D-Setauket at Stony Brook Long Island Children's Hospital on Tuesday as they announced new legislation that requires hospitals to offer pertussis booster shots to new parents and caregivers to protect their babies' health.

The law stopped short of requiring parents to get the vaccine because lawmakers thought it would be going too far.

"We need to gently nudge people along" in getting boosters, Hannon said.

According to Stony Brook University President Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr., who is a specialist in infectious diseases, pertussis was a leading cause of death among infants and children until regular vaccination reduced it to about 1,000 U.S. cases a year by the mid- to late-1970s. However, he said, pertussis is on a comeback, with approximately 27,500 cases reported in the U.S. in 2011.

"This is a preventable disease, based on vaccinations," Stanley said. "It's something we should not have to deal with."

Typically, the government recommends that babies get immunized in five doses: the first is received at the age of two months, with the final dose between ages four and six. Doctors recommend booster shots around the age of 11 or 12.

Dr. Shetal Shah, the neonatologist who worked with Hannon and Englebright on the bill, recently published a study in the journal Pediatrics that showed that parents were likely to receive the vaccine when offered it while new mothers were still hospitalized following delivery, leading to improved vaccination rates.

"What we attempted to do with this bill is to break that cycle of transmission," Shah said.

Although the new law takes effect in January, Dr. Swarna Devarajan, Chairwoman of the Department of Pediatrics, and Director of Neonatology and Newborn Services confirmed that in Rockville Centre already offers this service.

"ll postpartum mothers are offered pertussis booster immunization in the Mother-Baby Unit," said Devarajan. "The obstetrician orders the immunization and the mother has to sign her consent. The immunization is then administered to these mothers before discharge, thus offering significant protection to their babies."

Patch did not receive a response from South Nassau Communities Hospital as of press time.