“If mums have the vaccination whilst they are pregnant, then there is a 97% chance that their baby would not die if they got whooping cough,” Macdonald said.
“That’s a big motivation for pregnant mums to get vaccinated to protect their unborn child.”
WRHN are running a drop-in clinic every Tuesday which pregnant women and children can visit to get their vaccinations up to date.
People in the over 65 age group are also vulnerable to contracting whooping cough and should visit their GP to get vaccinated if they are at risk.
National Public Health Service health medicine specialist Dr Matt Reid said he was seriously concerned at the current numbers of pertussis (whooping cough) cases and hospitalisations occurring in all regions.
“Whooping cough is highly contagious and can cause serious harm to babies, especially those who are too young to be vaccinated.
“Partners, household members and others who have regular close contact with a newborn are also recommended to have a booster dose of pertussis vaccine if they have not had a dose in the previous 10 years.”
Macdonald said within Whanganui there were three cases in the 5-14 age group which were less at risk than babies and could potentially have managed their symptoms at home.
She is most concerned that New Zealand could be dealing with an ongoing whooping cough epidemic heading into next year and further.
“It’s not like we got those cases overnight, they are gradually peaking then going down,” Macdonald said.
WHRN immunisation co-ordinator Sue Hina said that the holiday time was a high-risk period for the illness because people were migrating across the country, and meeting up with people outside of Whanganui.
Macdonald said international visitors would be returning from overseas during the Christmas period, and large family gatherings could create a heightened risk.
“We are now back to almost pre-Covid rates of travelling globally - that’s why we’re at risk,” Macdonald said.
Whooping cough: What you need to know
- Childhood vaccinations to protect against whooping cough are needed at ages 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months, and again at 4 years.
- A further booster is given at age 11 (school year 7).
- Vaccination is free for pregnant women.
- Adults are eligible for one free booster from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and can get one free from age 65.
- Whooping cough causes breathing difficulties and severe coughing fits. The cough can go on for weeks or months which is why it is sometimes called the “100-day cough”.
- People are most infectious in the early stages - with the first signs of whooping cough usually appearing around 1 week after infection
Symptoms (after about one week)
- A blocked or runny nose
- Sneezing
- A mild fever
- Uncontrollable coughing fits that last for a few minutes
- Coughing that leads to vomiting
- A thick mucus that can make you vomit or choke
- During coughing spells, young babies may gasp for air and may briefly stop breathing and turn blue
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023. You can contact her on eva.dejong@nzme.co.nz
