Whooping cough, a serious and infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria, remains a concern for many people. Despite widespread vaccination programs, misconceptions about the effectiveness of vaccines persist. For example, some people believe that there is no vaccine for pregnant women or that adults do not need booster vaccinations.
However, Dr. Nguyen Le Nga, Medical Manager of VNVC Vaccination System, notes that while whooping cough cases have decreased in Vietnam due to vaccination programs, there has been an increase in cases this year. This is largely due to reduced vaccination rates. The Department of Preventive Medicine predicts further cases due to this trend.
Whooping cough can be particularly dangerous for young children, as infants under 3 months are particularly vulnerable to severe illness. However, vaccination during pregnancy can help protect both the mother and newborn from whooping cough. This is because infants born to unvaccinated mothers are at higher risk of developing the disease and experiencing severe complications like pneumonia and encephalitis.
In addition to protecting against whooping cough during pregnancy, it is important for children and adults to receive booster shots containing pertussis components at different stages of life. Booster shots provide ongoing protection against the disease and help prevent its spread to vulnerable family members. Adults can also get whooping cough and may unknowingly spread the disease to others if they are not up-to-date on their vaccinations.
Overall, receiving timely vaccinations against diseases like whooping cough is crucial for protecting individual health as well as contributing to community immunity. It is important for individuals to educate themselves about the effectiveness of vaccines and seek out opportunities for immunization when available.
In summary, misconceptions about whooping cough vaccine still exist among the population which can lead to incorrect prevention measures resulting in an increase in cases this year in Vietnam despite a decrease in previous years due to vaccination programs
