Vaccination warning over whooping cough (From Keighley News)

Vaccination warning over whooping cough

2:46pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News

Public health chiefs in the district have backed moves to vaccinate all pregnant women against whooping cough, after the biggest UK outbreak of the illness for two decades.

So far this year ten infants under the age of three months have died as a result of the infectious disease.

There have been 4,791 confirmed cases in England and Wales between January and August – four times the total figure for 2011, when there were 1,118 cases, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

From the beginning of 2012 to the end of August there have been 38 cases of whooping cough reported across Bradford and Airedale.

Dr Shirley Brierley, consultant in public health at NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, said: “We welcome the urgent measure from the Department of Health to minimise the harm from whooping cough, particularly in young infants.

“We encourage all pregnant women in Bradford and Airedale to ensure they receive the vaccination to give their baby the best protection against whooping cough.

“Women who are 28 weeks’ pregnant or more should seek further advice from their GP or midwife.

“It’s also important we continue to remind all parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against whooping cough to continue their protection through childhood.”