NHS Western Isles encourages uptake of whooping cough vaccine

With cases of whooping cough (also known as pertussis) on the rise across the UK and other parts of Europe, NHS Western Isles is encouraging pregnant women to take the vaccine when offered, and to get their newborn babies vaccinated.

Pertussis case numbers in Scotland have been increasing since late 2023. There were 1,084 laboratory confirmed cases in the first quarter of 2024 alone.  As of 10 June, there have been 3,656 laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases in Scotland in 2024. 

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. It’s spread in the droplets of the coughs or sneezes of someone with the infection. It can cause severe illness and death, particularly in young unimmunised children. Babies under one year old are most at risk.

The good news is that there is a vaccine that can help protect against whooping cough. It’s around 90 per cent effective in preventing hospital admissions and deaths in young babies.

The vaccine is offered to:

• Pregnant women (one dose between 16-32 weeks)
• Newborn babies (three doses at around 8, 12 and 16 weeks) as part of the ‘6-in-1’ vaccine

It’s extremely important that pregnant women get the vaccine. This will help to protect the baby in the first few vulnerable weeks of life until they’re old enough to have their first routine immunisations at around 8 weeks.

NHS Western Isles Head of Midwifery, Catherine Macdonald, is encouraging pregnant women to have their vaccine.

She said: “With the increases we are seeing in Scotland of whooping cough, I would encourage all our pregnant women to have this vaccine. I am also encouraging our Maternity staff to have the vaccine to further protect the women and babies we care for.”

For more information about the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy, speak to your midwife or visit www.nhsinform.scot/whoopingcough

For more information about the 6-in-1 vaccine offered to newborn babies speak to your health visitor or visit www.nhsinform.scot/6in1