What you need to know about the Whooping Cough Vaccine

You probably know the fear and anxiety you feel when your little one has a loud, persistent cough. Sometimes this cough is so severe that the baby struggles to breathe. One such serious respiratory disease is called "whooping cough". Medically, we also call it `(Pertussis)`. It is very contagious, especially if one person in a household gets it, it can quickly spread to others. But the good news is that there is a very effective way to protect our children and ourselves from this dangerous disease. And that is to get the whooping cough vaccine.

Why is the whooping cough vaccine important for everyone?

Simply put, whooping cough is a bacterial infection that spreads through droplets that are released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. While handwashing and covering your mouth when coughing can help control the spread of the disease to some extent, the best way to ensure absolute protection is to get vaccinated .

This vaccine is recommended for people of all ages.

• For infants
• For young children
• For young children
• For adults
• For pregnant mothers

Among these , the most vulnerable and most vaccine-preventable group is young babies . Especially if children under one year old get whooping cough, it can be severe and even life-threatening. That is why it is very important to give this vaccine as soon as a baby is born, according to the prescribed schedule.

What are the types of whooping cough vaccines?

There are two main types of whooping cough vaccines. Which type you get depends on your age.

1. DTaP vaccine (for young children)

This vaccine is given to children under the age of 7. This is actually a combination vaccine that protects against three diseases.

• D - Diphtheria
• T - Tetanus
• aP - Whooping cough (acellular Pertussis)

Today, combination vaccines that protect against several other diseases are available along with the DTaP vaccine. For example, a single vaccine can protect against diseases such as polio, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). When multiple vaccines are given at the same time, giving a combination vaccine is convenient for both the child and the parents.

DTaP vaccination schedule

According to the National Immunization Program of Sri Lanka, this is the schedule for giving this vaccine to your child.

2. Tdap vaccine (for adults and young children)

This is the booster shot given to young people and adults. After completing the DTaP vaccine series, the body's immunity decreases over time. Therefore, this booster is given to boost immunity again.

• For young children: A Tdap booster dose should be given at age 11-12.
• For adults: Getting a Tdap booster dose every 10 years can help keep you protected against all three diseases: whooping cough, tetanus, and measles. If you're an adult and haven't gotten a Tdap shot before, doctors recommend getting one dose.

Why is this vaccine especially important for pregnant mothers?

This is a very important fact that many people don't know about. Getting the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy provides great protection for the unborn baby.

Consider this: The first DTaP vaccine is given to a baby at 2 months of age. This means that the baby has no protection against whooping cough for the first two months of life. This is the time when the baby is most at risk of contracting the disease.

When you get the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, your body makes antibodies against whooping cough. Those antibodies are passed to your baby through the placenta. So, your baby is born with some protection against whooping cough. This is like a wonderful gift to your baby.

• Best time: The best time to get this vaccine is during the third trimester of pregnancy, between weeks 27 and 36.
• Safety: Getting vaccinated at this time can reduce a child's risk of developing whooping cough by about 78% in the first two months of life.
• During each pregnancy: The most important thing is that you should get this vaccine every time you become pregnant , because the amount of antibodies developed during a previous pregnancy decreases over time.

What are the side effects and risks of the vaccine?

As with any vaccine, the whooping cough vaccine can cause minor side effects. These are usually not serious and usually go away within a day or two. However, it is important to be aware of the very rare severe allergic reactions.

Very rarely, a condition called ``Encephalopathy`` that affects the brain can occur within a week of getting the vaccine. Symptoms include seizures and confusion. But remember, the risk of such a severe reaction is extremely low . The risk of developing whooping cough from not getting the vaccine is much higher.

If you or your child has had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past, be sure to inform your doctor before receiving the vaccine.