- Whooping cough (pertussis) cases have dramatically increased in 2024.
- GPs urge parents of young babies to have their routine vaccinations on time, every time.
- If a child has missed a childhood vaccine parents should speak to their GP practice about getting catch up vaccines.
- Pregnant women urged to get vaccination in each pregnancy to protect newborns.
The Irish College of GPs* is the professional body for general practice in Ireland. The College is the representative organisation for education, training and standards in general practice, with 4,500 members and associates comprising over 85% of practicing GPs in the Republic of Ireland and 1,191 GPs in training.
The Irish College of GPs / HSE Clinical Lead for Infection Control, Dr Scott Walkin, has urged parents of young children to have their babies vaccinated against whooping cough, or pertussis, as a peak in the number of cases is evident.
There were 551 cases of whooping cough up to 3rd November this year, compared to 18 cases for the whole of 2023.
Dr Scott Walkin said: “Young infants are most at risk of getting seriously ill from whooping cough (pertussis). It is highly contagious and babies over 6 months old should be vaccinated. About one fifth of all cases are in children under 5 years old.” He added: “We are particularly concerned about babies under 6 months old, as they cannot be fully vaccinated until they are over 6 months old. About 2 out of 3 cases in very young infants require hospitalisation, and they are at particular risk of severe complications (pneumonia, seizures, inability to breathe).”
By getting whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy, newborns are protected until they can be fully vaccinated against whooping cough by 6 months of age with their routine infant vaccinations.
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 2,4,6,12 and 13 months of age. Children get a booster vaccination at junior infants.
Vaccines for babies and pregnant women are available for free from their GP.
Whooping cough (pertussis) can have a serious impact on a baby’s health. Among babies hospitalised with pertussis, more than half require intensive unit care. Of those, one in 5 develop pneumonia, 3% experience seizures, and up to 4% may die. In rare cases, pertussis can lead to long term brain injury.
Five infants have died during pertussis outbreaks in Ireland since 2012. There have been no deaths to date in 2024.
In the UK in 2024, 10 infants have died of pertussis-related illnesses. Between January and March 2024, in the EU/EEA region, there were 19 deaths, more than half in infants under 6 months old.
Dr Walkin stressed the importance of pregnant women receiving the whooping cough vaccine between 16 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
He said “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,”
“Furthermore, if a child has missed a childhood vaccination, we strongly encourage parents to speak to their GP and arrange a catch-up.”.
Check out www.immunisation.ie for further information.
ISSUED BY: Aileen O’Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of GPs.
Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830. Email: media@icgp.ie
*The Irish College of GPs was formerly called the Irish College of General Practitioners