Vaccination Rates and Public Health Response
reports a significant increase in whooping cough cases, with nearly 2,000 cases and two dozen hospitalizations, including 12 infants, as of November 2. This marks a sharp rise from 51 cases the previous year, attributed to waning vaccination rates and the disease's natural cycle.
Health officials emphasize the importance of vaccinations, highlighting the effectiveness of pertussis vaccines for children from two months old. Discussions with parents about vaccine safety and efficacy are encouraged to combat declining vaccination rates.
Impact on Infants and Recommendations
Infants are particularly vulnerable to severe complications from whooping cough, such as apnea, pneumonia, seizures, and brain infections, due to their small airways. The disease can begin with symptoms resembling a common cold but can quickly become serious.
Pregnant women are advised to receive the whooping cough vaccine in their third trimester to provide antibody protection to their newborns. This precaution is crucial as infants cannot receive the vaccine until they are two months old.