Whooping cough deaths on the increase in the UK

Lifestyle Health & Fitness
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Hi All ,

Just wanted to bring to the attention of all pregnant ladies , in the UK, that you need to get vaccinated for Whooping cough.

BBC News - Whooping cough: Three more babies die in outbreak

As per this BBC article, there were 7,728 cases alone this year. New born babies are specially at risk and many deaths have been reported. Hence please do not take it lightly. If you are between 28 to 38 weeks of pregnancy, please ask your GP to give you the vaccination.

As per this above article:

“Pregnant women, between 28 and 38 weeks, are now being offered a whooping cough vaccine. It should prompt the mother’s immune system to create more antibodies to attack the whooping cough bacterium. The antibodies should pass from the mother to the child in the womb and offer protection when a baby is born.”

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Re: Whooping cough deaths on the increase in the UK

Most people in the US (not sure about UK) get vaccinated for whopping cough or pertussis as kids ( don't remember, but the last vaccine in the schedule is around 6 years old).

However, immunity wears away, thus the increasing number of cases in adults. Even non-pregnant adults should get a booster at least once in adulthood. It comes as part of the diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (Tdap) shot. After that, you can go back to getting the Tetatnus and diptheria booster every ten years.