Pregnant women to be vaccinated against whooping cough (From Gazette)

Pregnant women to be vaccinated against whooping cough

4:03pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News

PREGNANT women in north Essex are being offered vaccinations following a rise in the number of whooping cough cases.

Women who are between 28 and 38 week pregant can get the jab at their next ante-natal appointment at their GP practice.

Nationwide, 302 cases of whooping cough have been discovered in children under three months old in the past eight months. Nine infants have died.

Debbie Saban, from NHS North Essex, said: “Whooping cough is highly contagious and newborns are particularly vulnerable. It is vital babies are protected from the day they are born and that is why the vaccination is now readily available to women between 28 and 38 weeks pregnant.”

Visit www.immunisation.dh.gov.uk/pertussis-pregnant or contact your GP or midwife to find out more.