Summer hot for whooping cough in Noosa

Noosa Council is supporting Queensland Health experts’ warning for residents to stay vigilant and vaccinate against whooping cough, with a higher than usual number of cases reported locally.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can cause serious, and sometime life-threatening, health issues, particularly in babies.

Noosa Council’s Coordinator of Environmental Health Geoff Atherfold said: “So far this year, there have been 37 cases of whooping cough notified to Queensland Health for residents of the Noosa Council area. Most of these cases have been children.

“In past years there have been up to 12 whooping cough notifications for a similar period.

“The target to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease is 95%.

“In the Noosa Shire area we are short of the target with 89% of one-year old children vaccinated, so we encourage all parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated.

“This is for both the safety of their own children but also for the safety of other children they come into contact with.

“We all have a responsibility to help prevent an outbreak.”

Free vaccinations are available for women in their third trimester of pregnancy and for babies at two, four and six months of age with booster doses for children at 18 months, four years, and during their first year of high school.

Adults are advised that they can also obtain boosters to ensure that they are protected and in doing so they are helping to protect others. The vaccine for whooping cough is combined with that for diphtheria and tetanus and is available from all general practitioners.

For more information visit your doctor or http://conditions.health.qld.gov.au/HealthCondition/condition/14/33/150/whooping-cough-pertussis

28 February 2018