Parents of newborns offered free whooping cough vaccine

Parents of newborn babies are being encouraged to protect their babies by protecting themselves with a free vaccine against whooping cough.

Easily spread and often underestimated, whooping cough can be deadly, especially for newborn babies.

The number of babies under six months old catching whooping cough, also known as pertussis, has increased dramatically in Victoria over the last five years.

Around one in every 200 babies under six months old who catch whooping cough will die. Some will suffer permanent disability from brain and lung damage.

The main way babies catch whooping cough is from infected parents and family members.

To combat this rise the Department of Health is offering a free whooping cough vaccine to parents of babies under six months old. The vaccine is available from your doctor or healthcare professional free until 30 June 2011.

Other ways to protect your baby from whooping cough:

• If you are planning to become pregnant or your partner is pregnant get vaccinated now.
• Vaccinate your baby on time.
• Make sure all your children are up-to-date with whooping cough vaccines. Booster doses are required at four and 15 years of age.
• Anyone regularly in contact with your baby (grandparents, childcare and healthcare workers) should be vaccinated.

For more information

More information is available online regarding the free vaccine and whooping cough:

• Free whooping cough vaccine - Immunisation website
• Whooping cough - Better Health Channel

or by contacting the Department of Health’s Immunisation Team on 1300 882 008.