Getting your Whooping Cough booster is the perfect gift you can give a new family.

Bringing a new baby into the world is a joyous occasion filled with excitement and anticipation.

It’s natural to want to visit the new family and maybe gift them something special. However, some precautions may be advisable to look after the new mum and bub.

Newborns are most vulnerable to whooping cough during the first few months of life, before they receive their primary series of vaccinations.

So, it doesn’t matter if it’s someone’s first or fifth baby. If you expect to spend time with the newborn before they are old enough to complete their whooping cough vaccinations, it's important for you to have your booster.  

Why is a whooping cough booster important?

• Whooping cough (pertussis) is a very contagious bacterial infection and outbreaks spread easily in families, day-cares and kindergartens.

• Not every infected person is symptomatic, meaning you can pass on the infection without knowing you have it.

• Babies under six months old are the most at-risk group because they cannot begin receiving their course of vaccinations until they are two months old.

• Babies' symptoms can evolve very quickly and develop into complications.

• These complications can be very serious, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

A single booster provides protection against whooping cough.

Remember, you can’t get whooping cough from the vaccine. The vaccine does not contain live bacteria and works by stimulating the immune system to create antibodies.

Many people don’t experience side-effects from vaccinations. If you do, they will likely be mild and similar other vaccinations, such as tenderness at the injection site, tiredness or muscle ache.            

The most important thing to know about whooping cough…

While for adults, whooping cough is unpleasant, for babies it can be life threatening. Let's protect those most at risk.

You can access some further information on whooping cough and can book your vaccination directly with us here.

So, if you or your partner are expecting, or if you will be visiting a new baby, book your whooping cough booster. It’s the best gift you can give the little one.          

As always, if you would like to discuss getting a whooping cough vaccination or any other health issue, our Pharmacists at TerryWhite Chemmart Cockburn Medical are always available for a chat.