The Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging pregnant women to receive a whooping cough vaccination to safeguard their babies following a recent outbreak of the infection. The call comes after the tragic death of another infant from whooping cough in June, marking the tenth such death in the UK since the outbreak began last November.
Whooping cough, a highly contagious disease affecting the lungs and airways, has seen significant resurgence in recent months. UKHSA data indicates that the number of cases has surpassed 10,000, with a peak of 2,427 cases reported in May. The infection has notably affected those aged 15 and older, but over 300 cases have been recorded in babies under three months old, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications and death.
The current outbreak is attributed to a cyclical peak in the disease and reduced immunity in the population, partly due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UKHSA’s data for April to June 2024 revealed that confirmed cases of whooping cough were alarmingly high, surpassing figures from any quarter since the last major outbreak in 2012.
To combat the rising incidence of the disease, the UKHSA is emphasizing the importance of vaccination for pregnant women. Evidence shows that administering the vaccine during pregnancy provides 92% protection against infant death from whooping cough. Despite this, vaccination rates among pregnant women have been declining, with uptake falling to 58.9% in March 2024 from 72.6% in 2017.
Dr. Mary Ramsay, director of immunisation at the UKHSA, stressed the urgency of the situation: “With cases continuing to rise and sadly 10 infant deaths since the outbreak began last November, ensuring women are vaccinated in pregnancy has never been more important. Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.”
The routine vaccination schedule for infants includes three doses of the six-in-one jab at eight, 12, and 16 weeks of age, which protects against whooping cough as well as other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio. A booster dose is offered to pre-school children at three years and four months to maintain immunity.
The UKHSA’s latest push highlights the critical need for increased vaccination coverage to protect vulnerable infants and mitigate the impact of the ongoing whooping cough outbreak.
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