Pregnant Tasmanian women will be entitled to a free whooping cough vaccination from next month.
The State Government announced it will fund the vaccine for all women in their third trimester in a bid to protect newborns not yet old enough to have their own vaccine.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson said the move follows an update to the Australian Immunisation Handbook earlier this year which recommended the vaccination in late pregnancy.
“Contemporary evidence shows that the ideal time for vaccination is between weeks 28 and 32 of pregnancy,” he said.
“Getting the vaccination during the last trimester of pregnancy gives babies protective immunity from birth up until their own vaccinations start to work.”
He said the vaccination would be available from General Practitioners and Councils that provide adult vaccinations.