Call for whooping cough vaccine program for adults

The National Centre for Immunisation and Research Surveillance (NCIRS) is calling for a widespread whooping cough vaccination program for adults in Australia.

NCIRS deputy director Peter MacIntyre says almost all of the infants hospitalised with the life-threatening disease are under two-months-old and too young to be immunised.

Dr MacIntyre says Australia has done as well as can be expected immunising children and infants are now contracting the disease from adults, mostly their parents.

"[The best thing] people who are either planning to have a baby or who have recently had a baby can do to protect their baby against whooping cough is to be immunised themselves," Dr MacIntyre said.

"There is a suitable vaccine available now that can be given very safely to adults, no different from a tetanus boster that gives you the additional protection against whooping cough," he said.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.