You can get a whooping cough vaccine at most retail pharmacies, your primary care doctor’s office, urgent care clinics, and local health departments. For adults and older children, pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid are often the quickest option. Children under 7 typically need to visit a pediatrician’s office or clinic instead.
Pharmacies, Clinics, and Doctor’s Offices
Retail pharmacies are the most convenient option for most adults. National chains and many independent pharmacies stock the vaccine and can administer it during a walk-in visit or with a short appointment. You can search by ZIP code on Vaccines.gov to find a nearby location with availability.
Your primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic can also give you the shot, though you may need to schedule a visit. For pregnant people, an OB-GYN’s office is a common place to get it during a prenatal appointment. Local and county health departments offer the vaccine as well, sometimes at reduced cost for people without insurance.
One important limitation: most pharmacies cannot vaccinate children younger than 7. State laws vary, but many restrict pharmacy-administered vaccines to ages 7 and up. Young children will need to get their shots at a pediatrician’s office, family medicine clinic, or health department.
Which Vaccine You’ll Get Depends on Age
There are two versions of the whooping cough vaccine, and the one you receive is based entirely on age. Children younger than 7 get DTaP, a five-dose series given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years. This is part of the standard childhood immunization schedule.
Everyone 7 and older gets Tdap, which is a single booster shot. The CDC recommends a dose at age 11 or 12, then a booster every 10 years throughout adulthood. If you’ve never had a Tdap dose as an adult and it’s been more than 10 years since your last tetanus shot, you’re due for one. Both vaccines also protect against tetanus and diphtheria.
Timing During Pregnancy
The CDC recommends that pregnant people get a Tdap shot during weeks 27 through 36 of every pregnancy, ideally toward the earlier end of that window. Getting vaccinated during this period allows your body to produce antibodies that cross the placenta and protect the baby in its first weeks of life, before the infant is old enough to be vaccinated. This timing lowers the risk of whooping cough in babies younger than 2 months by 78%.
This applies to every pregnancy, even if you received Tdap recently. Your OB-GYN or midwife’s office will typically offer the vaccine during a routine third-trimester visit.
What It Costs
Most people pay nothing out of pocket. Under the Affordable Care Act, the majority of health insurance plans must cover recommended preventive vaccines, including Tdap, at no cost when you use an in-network provider. That means no copay, no coinsurance, and no deductible applies.
If you’re on Medicare, Part D covers the Tdap shot at zero cost to you. Medicare Part D plans cannot charge a copayment or apply a deductible for vaccines recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Without insurance, the retail price for a Tdap vaccine typically runs between $70 and $100, though prices vary by pharmacy and location. If cost is a barrier, check with your local health department, which may offer vaccines on a sliding-fee scale.
Free Vaccines for Children
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides free vaccines, including the whooping cough series, to children under 19 who are uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid, American Indian or Alaska Native, or underinsured (meaning their insurance doesn’t fully cover vaccines). Uninsured and Medicaid-enrolled children can receive VFC vaccines at any participating provider. Underinsured children are eligible only at Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, or approved deputization sites.
To find a VFC provider, contact your state or local health department or ask your child’s pediatrician if they participate in the program.
When You’re Overdue
If you’re an adult who hasn’t had a Tdap booster in more than 10 years, or you’re unsure whether you ever received one, you can simply get a dose now. There’s no need for blood tests or records. A pharmacist or doctor can administer it on the spot. If you’ve had a wound that could carry tetanus risk, such as a deep cut or puncture from a dirty object, a booster is recommended if it’s been more than five years since your last dose.