Title: Urgent Warning: Doctors Plead with Parents to Vaccinate Children Against Pertussis asCases Surge Worldwide
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Global Pertussis Cases Surge, Doctors Call on Parents to Vaccinate Their Children
The number of pertussis cases, a severe coughing illness also known as ‘100-day cough,’ has been rapidly increasing worldwide, especially among infants, alarming medical professionals who are urging parents to vaccinate their children. Despite the availability of a combined diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine for babies as young as two months, vaccination rates have been declining since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Australia, for instance, a baby recently died, and Queensland is witnessing its highest infection rate in a decade, with young children being most affected. The World Health Organization (WHO) attributes this surge to reduced hand hygiene practices and parental reluctance to vaccinate their children post-COVID.
“There are additional factors at play … We have seen both child and maternal vaccination rates declining, and we have also seen repeated infections in some children because the vaccine wanes over time,” said health experts.
Romania Reports Two Deaths Amid ‘Whooping Cough’ Outbreak
Romania has also seen an increase in pertussis cases since the start of the school year, with hospitals overwhelmed by affected children. Dr. Mihai Craiu, a pediatrician at the National Institute for Mother and Child Health “Alessandrescu-Rusescu,” explained that pertussis is caused by a bacteria called bordetella pertussis and can last up to 100 days, unlike common colds.
Babies are particularly vulnerable, and hospitalization is often required. Complications can include pneumonia, brain damage, and, rarely, death. Two deaths have already been reported in Romania.
The DTP Vaccine: Protection Against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
In light of these developments, medical professionals worldwide are urging parents and pregnant women to get vaccinated to prevent pertussis infection. The DTP vaccine is part of the routine childhood immunization schedule, given at 2 months, 4 months, 11 months, 5 years, and 14 years, with a booster shot at 10 years for children and adults.
