Call for vaccinations as cases of whooping cough surge

The Irish College of GPs has called for parents and young children to get vaccinated after the number of whooping cough cases "dramatically increased" this year.

The representative group said there were 551 cases of the condition up to 3 November this year, compared to 18 cases for the whole of last year.

About one fifth of all cases are in children under five years old, it said.

Dr Scott Walkin, ICGP/HSE Clinical Lead for Infection Control, urged parents of young children to have their babies vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis.

Dr Walkin raised concerns over vaccination levels as "about two out of three cases in very young infants require hospitalisation".

He added that this demographic is "at particular risk of severe complications" including pneumonia, seizures and an inability to breathe.

Whooping cough is a "highly contagious" disease that can cause long bouts of coughing and choking, which can make it hard to breathe.

Symptoms resemble a common cold and a mild cough, which becomes more severe and is characterised by rapid coughs and a high-pitched whoop.

The Irish College of GPs warned that whooping cough can have a "serious impact on a baby's health".

It said: "Among babies hospitalised with pertussis, more than half require intensive unit care.

"Of those, one in five develop pneumonia, 3% experience seizures and up to 4% may die.

"In rare cases, pertussis can lead to long term brain injury."

Since 2012, it said, five infants have died during pertussis outbreaks, but added that none have occurred so far in 2024.

Dr Walkin stressed the importance of pregnant women receiving the whooping cough vaccine between 16 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.

"Getting the vaccine protects pregnant women from getting the whooping cough, and this vital immunity will also protect their newborn baby during the earliest, most vulnerable months, before they can be vaccinated themselves," he said.

He said there is particular concern about babies under six months old, as they "cannot be fully vaccinated until they are over six months old".

The Irish College of GPs said the vaccine can be given from 16 weeks into pregnancy and up to the 36th week, and the vaccine has some benefit if given after 36 weeks or after delivery.

Babies are due vaccines at two, four, six, 12 and 13 months of age, it said, adding that children can get a booster vaccination at junior infants.

Vaccines for babies and pregnant women are available for free from their GP, it added.