Link to Whooping Cough Outbreak

Babies aged under one year are particularly vulnerable to whooping cough, but are at greatest risk of severe disease in the first few months of life.

The free maternal immunisation programme provides the best protection for mothers and newborn babies. When pregnant women are immunised, they pass their immunity on to their baby, protecting them for their first few months of life, until baby is fully immunised. The protection the baby gets from their mother is temporary so it is very important to start baby’s immunisations on time at 6 weeks.

• Receiving the free whooping cough booster during pregnancy is the best way to reduce the risk of a newborn being hospitalised from whooping cough. Nine out of ten babies will be protected in this way.
• On-time immunisation of babies at 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months is the next important way of reducing the risk to our young children.