Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
Whooping cough or pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection spread by coughing and sneezing. It is sometimes referred to as the "100 day cough".
Infants under 12 months of age are most at risk of serious disease especially if they have not been vaccinated at scheduled times. Parents and older siblings are the most common source of the whooping cough infection in infants.
In adults protective immunity from the disease wanes after 4-12 years, so a regular booster vaccination is recommended. This is especially important if you are in contact with infants and young children.
The adult whooping cough booster vaccine (Tdap) is now available at Northcross Pharmacy.
For more information on the whooping cough booster vaccine click here.