Whooping cough alarm sparks jab drive (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)
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Whooping cough alarm sparks jab drive
2:09pm Thursday 4th October 2012 in News
PREGNANT women in Tendring are being offered vaccinations following a rise in the number of whooping cough cases.
Women who are between 28 and 38 weeks 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, of 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.
