The booster vaccine for whooping cough, or pertussis, is needed because immunity to it wanes 5 to 10 years after the initial vaccination.

All animals adopted have their initial vaccinations and a two-week health guarantee.

The initial vaccination for a kitten is good for a year, Dr. Garvey said.

The protective effects of the vaccine are expected to last a minimum of 4.5 years after the initial vaccination.

Since they do reproduce and continue to present antigen beyond the initial vaccination, boosters are required less often.

Whether people should be retested five or more years after the initial vaccination to determine the need for a booster is not well established.

It is common for symptoms to appear after the puppy's initial vaccination at about 6 weeks of age.

Protection against Hepatitis A begins approximately two to four weeks after the initial vaccination.

A single pneumococcal revaccination at least five years after initial vaccination is recommended for people 65 years and older who were first vaccinated before age 65 years.

It requires a booster 30 days after the initial vaccination.