news item
Free whooping cough vaccine
Parents of newborn babies are again being encouraged to protect their baby by protecting themselves with a free vaccine against whooping cough.
Easily spread and often underestimated, whooping cough can be deadly, especially for newborn babies.
The number of babies under six months old catching whooping cough has increased dramatically in Victoria over the last five years.
Around one in every 200 babies under six months old who catch whooping cough will die. Some will suffer permanent disability from brain and lung damage.
The main way babies catch whooping cough is from infected parents, siblings and other family members.
To combat this rise the Department of Health has extended its offer of a free whooping cough vaccine to partners of pregnant women and parents of babies under six months old. The vaccine is available from your doctor or healthcare professional free until 30 June 2012.
Other ways to protect your baby from whooping cough:
- If you are planning to become pregnant or your partner is pregnant get vaccinated now.
- Vaccinate your baby on time.
- Make sure all your children are up-to-date with whooping cough vaccines. Booster doses are required at four and 15 years of age.
- Anyone regularly in contact with your baby (grandparents, childcare and healthcare workers) should be vaccinated.
More information is available online regarding the free vaccine and whooping cough (also known as pertussis) or by contacting the Department of Health Immunisation Section on 1300 882 008.
