Whooping cough is a serious illness that spreads easily. Protect yourself and your family by getting vaccinated at our pharmacy today.
Whooping cough is a serious illness that spreads easily. Protect yourself and your family by getting vaccinated at our pharmacy today.
Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection affecting the respiratory system. Be aware of the symptoms and risks and get a vaccination to prevent further spread of this dangerous disease.
Whooping cough is a respiratory illness caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It primarily affects the airways, causing severe coughing fits that can last for weeks, often leading to difficulty breathing. The disease is most dangerous for infants, young children, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
The bacteria that causes whooping cough can spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is highly contagious and can infect anyone, but the most vulnerable groups are:
Infants under 1 year old: This group is at a higher risk of severe complications, including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.
Pregnant women: Especially in their third trimester, to stimulate the mother’s immune system to make protective cells (antibodies) that circulate in her bloodstream and travel across the placenta into her baby’s bloodstream and help protect the baby from severe whooping cough for up to three months after birth.
People with a chronic respiratory illness
Unvaccinated children and adults: Even adults can catch and spread whooping cough, often with milder symptoms, but they can still pass it on to vulnerable populations.
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent whooping cough. The diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine protects against whooping cough and is recommended for everyone. It is recommended to be given to:
Children Under 18: Children receive the pertussis vaccine as part of the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule, which includes:
Three doses at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 5 months old.
Two boosters at 4 years and 11 years old. These vaccines are free, and we can help you catch up on any missed doses up until the age of 18.
Pregnant People: The best protection for babies is for their mothers to get vaccinated during pregnancy. If you're pregnant, you can get a free vaccination from 13 weeks for each pregnancy (recommended to be given from 16 weeks and preferably in the second trimester). This helps protect your baby until they can receive their vaccine at 6 weeks. Our pharmacy provides this vaccination to help keep your baby safe.
For Adults: If you're around babies, young children, or pregnant people, getting the whooping cough vaccine is essential to prevent the spreading of the disease. Vaccine protection reduces over time, so a booster every 10 years is recommended. It's funded for some people from age 45 and everyone from age 65, and we offer boosters at our pharmacy.
Our pharmacy offers the whooping cough vaccine to help protect you and your loved ones from this contagious disease. The vaccine is free for children, pregnant people, and adults in eligible age groups. Visit us today for a quick, easy vaccination that can help keep your community safe.
Protect yourself and your community—visit us today for your whooping cough vaccination!
Kensington Pharmacy is your Locally Owned Community Pharmacy that has been serving the community for over 65 years. We are open 7 Days a week, 365 Days of the Year. At Kensington Pharmacy we deliver quality, personalized care to ensure our customers can achieve the best possible health results!
