Hello all,
We're due a baby boy very soon (due date 1st Aug)!
I've seen that here it's recommended for any family/friends who will be in close contact with the baby for the first six months to have a "whooping cough" vaccine booster shot (usually in the form of the Boostrix).
I'm from the UK, and it doesn't seem to be a recommendation or usual decision there.
My wife has taken it (to also give the baby some antibodies) and I've also taken it. But we're wondering if we need to ask family members who come to stay to also take it. Especially if in the UK it's not a standard vaccine and possibly not available on the NHS for non-pregnant adults.
Does anyone have any similar experience? I'm looking for some advice to make sure we're safe but also not putting too high expectations on visitors.
Thanks for any tips
I've two grandchildren born in Switzerland. Never heard of it.
I'm surprised! Maybe it varies between regions of CH then. Our Dr. told us to both have the vaccine and also to ask any close contacts to have it.
Also known as pertussis. I believe most Swiss children are vaccinated for it.
My siblings and I had it one summer when we were in our young teens. It wasn’t fun, but we were not seriously ill.
Yes this is exactly what happened to us - both me and my partner who was pregnant took a whopping cough booster a few months before she gave birth. It's safe and standard practice here in ch I believe, well at least where we are in canton Zurich. The doctor told us it helps boost the immunity of the baby in the first few months of their lives. Edit: I'm not sure what the advice would be for close relatives etc who might be looking after the baby often. Maybe check with your doctor.
My sister asked everyone who was going to see her baby in the first year of its life to get their pertussis jab updated, which I did. It was CHF 60 in my local pharmacy; they have to order the vaccine though, so be sure to check ahead if you plan on using that route.
I had suspected pertussis a few years ago and it was hideous, I was coughing so violently that I was throwing up. It wasn't that and I forgot what it actually was. It went away with antibiotics. I don't think you can compare teens/adults with babies when it comes to illness. We know what is happening, can regulate our breathing, can talk about it, etc.
We had our baby girl this April and both got the pertussis booster at my Dr (36fr per person, not covered by insurance). I did mention it to my parents (they live here in CH), but they didnt get it and nobody on his family did either. Chances for ppl here in CH to have it are small as so many are vaccinated, if UK is different I would check that out seriously. It can be very dangerous for babies.
My cousin was born during the whooping cough scare. He didn't get the vaccine and caught whooping cough. He died in his thirties from a heart weakened by the virus.
If you're offered a booster, I'd go for it!
Before visiting my baby grandson for the first time (in the US) I got a DTap booster. I thought it was a very reasonable request and of course was happy to do it. Easily done at our family GP.
Whooping cough / pertussis can kill, especially those who are old or weak - and newborns (up to three months) are at high risk of dying from it.
Even for strong, healthy people it can last for months and make you vulnerable to other infections.
Ask friends & family to get the booster if they plan to visit. Whooping cough can easily kill your baby if they catch it, some studies show over 70% death rate for babies under 2 months who catch it.
As for those adults who say it's not much worse than a cold - that's for a lucky adult with a strong immune system who's likely already been exposed to it some time in their life, either live or with a vaccination. Infants are not strong enough.
Was years ago now but had both my children here (ZH) and never heard of this.
We were recommended to get our whooping cough vaccinations updated when my wife got pregnant - according to our doctor, vaccination rates in our area were falling due to anti-vax families, and as a result, cases of pertussis were on the rise.
The other issue is immunity to pertussis wanes after vaccination.
It’s standard practice in the US for those who will be around the baby to be vaccinated if they’re not current.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnan…aregivers.html
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregna…rotection.html