Stay up-to-date with your whooping cough vaccinations
Stay up-to-date with your whooping cough vaccinations
8 November 2023
It's Australia's first-ever Whooping Cough Day. This initiative from the Immunisation Foundation of Australia raises awareness about the risks associated with whooping cough while encouraging you to make sure you and your children are up-to-date with whooping cough vaccinations.
Vaccination is the best way for people of all ages to protect themselves and others against the virus.
Whooping cough is a potentially fatal bacterial infection which attacks the airways causing uncontrollable coughing and difficulty breathing. It is highly infectious and is transmitted through droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. An infected person may inadvertently spread whooping cough to many friends and family members, including vulnerable infants.
Babies are at greatest risk of severe illness with 80% of whooping cough deaths occurring among infants less than 3 months old. Immunisation of pregnant women offers the baby protection until the child can receive their own vaccinations starting at 6 weeks of age.
Whooping cough can cause serious illness in older children and adults while people with asthma are 4 times at greater risk of being hospitalised with whooping cough.
Read more about the signs and symptoms and prevention of whooping cough including vaccination.
For more information about Whooping Cough Day visit the Immunisation Foundation of Australia website (external site).