Exposure to whooping cough... should we still go...?

[MoChan]

DD and I are going away next week for a few days. One of our hosts seemingly has whooping cough. She has been on antibiotics for a while, so by the time we get there, she will, according to the information I can find, be significantly less infectious, but not UN-infectious.

Now, obviously, children these days are routinely immunised against it, I know; however, I've been a complete dumbo and missed taking DD (she is 5 in August) for her pre-school booster (it's now booked, but for the week after next) and so the last time she had jabs was in 2009 when she was 2. Will this make her at risk of contracting it?

Also, am I likely to have been immunised against it? When did they begin routinely immunising?

Should I not go?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

I wouldn't personally. It can be very serious and it just wouldn't be worth the risk, even with imms up to date

You can still get whooping cough even if you have been vaccinated. So with an un- or under-vaxed child, I wouldn't go. It is now believed that the pertussis vaccine doesn't always confer lifelong immunity.

here is some info about when the vaccine was introduced etc]]

Some people get a mild version and are okay, however, if you get the more serious version you will feel very unwell and it will go on for about 100 days.

Vaccination only provides 90% protection, so you can still get it.

Personally I would not go.

Thanks for your responses, everyone.

We will still go away, but stay somewhere else!

Apparently it may not be whooping cough but they won't know until after a blood test, which won't get back in time for us to decide on the basis of it.

The problem is that the bacteria has mutated and the vaccine that we have now does not cover it. Also WC vaccines are pretty crap anyway. I had WC despite being vaccinated.

In Australia they have had a 3 year epidemic, and they have just stopped giving out the vaccine to adults to protect babies because they have realised the vaccine is failing to stop the spread.

www.news.com.au/breaking-news/states-ending-free-parent-whooping-vaccine/story-e6frfku0-1226350174856

But personally I would avoid anyone with WC especially if you know they have it. They should be quarentined.