Whooping cough outbreak 'well overdue' – so should I be worried?
Whooping cough can be life-threatening to newborn babies and Aussies of all ages will be at a heightened risk of spreading it.
Experts are warning an outbreak of whooping cough is 'well overdue' and while the respiratory disease is most commonly known for the fatal risks it poses to babies, Aussies of all ages could be at risk.
What you need to know
The disease is spread directly from person to person and is "extremely" contagious — even more contagious than influenza, measles and Covid-19.
It impairs breathing by causing long and uncontrolled bursts of coughing in adults and "pauses in breath" for babies.
Babies are most at risk as their immune systems are still developing, however adults can also contract the '100-day cough' which, as the name suggests, is endured for many months.
Thousands of Aussies were affected by the last outbreak in 2015, with the next wave expected imminently as they usually occur every four years.
A vaccine is available but boosters are required — with experts concerned many Aussies are unaware they are at risk of the upcoming wave.
🤔 Should I be concerned?
The highly contagious nature of the disease means an increase in cases could easily become widespread throughout the country.
Adults do have antibiotics available to them as well as an effective vaccine — so an outbreak would not mean a repeat of Covid lockdowns — however, there are fears a surge in cases would not only mean many Aussies would quickly become unwell but would pose an increased risk of fatality to newborn babies.
"It's extremely, extremely contagious and the major risk is that it doesn't cause babies to cough but it causes apnea which is pauses in breath. It can be fatal," Dr Daniel Golshevsky told Yahoo News.
Babies can receive their first whooping cough vaccine at six weeks old but most deaths occur before immunisation. It still poses a threat post-vaccine.
On average there is one death and more than 200 hospitalisations in infants less than six months old due to whooping cough in Australia each year, yet these numbers are expected to rise significantly with the upcoming outbreak.
⏭️ So what next?
Aussies are being urged to do two things: ensure you're vaccinated and be vigilant around newborn babies.
"Anyone at all, but especially those who have a new grandchild, or is in close proximity to babies, should aim to get a booster every 10 years ... and if you are in contact with someone unwell or who has a cough, I recommend they avoid the baby. Common sense prevails," Dr Golshevsky said.
Some doctors advise adults to wait up to two weeks after vaccination to see a newborn.
About 9 in 10 people who have contact with a household member with whooping cough will catch the infection if they are not vaccinated. Antibiotics are available for an infected individual which will lessen the chance of severe symptoms and shorten the infectious period "from three weeks to one", yet will not stop its spread.
🗣️ What they said
Infectious Disease Paediatrician Robert Booy told 9 News: "Whooping cough follows a fairly predictable pattern and it's very much the sleeping bear of respiratory infectious disease right now."
Aussie mum Catherine Hughes speaking to 7 News after her baby son died from whooping cough in 2015: "It was very unexpected. He had what we thought was a cold but it turned out to be whooping cough ... and he passed away before he was old enough to have his own vaccine."
💬 Conversation starter
Many new parents choose to prevent unvaccinated loved ones from meeting their newborn babies within the first six weeks over fears it could expose their child to whooping cough, and it is often a contentious topic within families.
Despite Dr Golshevsky stressing vaccination is key to protecting newborns, he believes a blanket six-week rule can be "a little bit controversial" due to a common misconception.
He explains the vaccine offers "85 per cent coverage" against whooping cough, but immunisation strengthens over time —with several bouts of the vaccine needed — therefore, it is a misconception that babies will instantly be safe against the disease after their first vaccine.
"It's a cumulative thing. So you can't then go 'well you're not allowed to see your grandchild for a year or 18 months'. You just can't do that," he said.
❗ It’s hard to believe, but…
The disease gets its name from the sound infected people make between coughs. Many often make a 'whooping' noise while they take a sharp intake of breath in between coughs — with coughs so severe many often break ribs.
🗞️ For more about...
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