Whooping cough (Pertussis) outbreak teens

[Araminta1003]

I will start off with the fact that my DCs have always had all recommended vaccines.

So I assumed when they had their teen booster at 13/14 at school via the local health service, that it had covered Pertussis too. Turns out it did not in the last few years potentially. Due to a global vaccine shortage, for Pertussis, specifically. Come on- do they expect people to actually check whether it is listed as DTAP or TD/IPV only. So we only had the latter. That means no Pertussis! Only Tetanus and Diphteria and Polio.

And now there is an outbreak locally. And still no awareness.

Am I unreasonable to assume they should tell us these things specifically so that we actually know that they have a shortage? Or was it all over the press?

I really hope all pregnant women/babies as soon as they can/preschoolers do know to have the whooping cough vaccine asap, it is really quite dangerous. And it is pretty unpleasant for teens and adults too.

I haven't heard of any shortage. Do you have a link to that?

Check your kids vaccinations if you have teens.

I don’t think whooping cough vaccine is offered to teenagers on the NHS.

www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/

That is the point, they are no longer offering a booster to teens or those having the tetanus shot every 10 years so herd immunity has dropped. So really important for babies, toddlers and pregnant women to have the vaccine.

The vaccine used to be combined with Pertussis.