Protecting Infants from Whooping Cough: New Vaccination Recommendations and Efforts to Control its Spread

Whooping cough is a serious disease that can lead to complications and even death, especially for infants under six months of age. To protect newborns, the Ministry of Health recommends that pregnant women receive a vaccine in their third trimester, allowing them to pass on antibodies to their babies through the placenta.

Efforts are being made to prevent the spread of whooping cough by closely monitoring data on cases and questioning patients about their exposure and contacts. This helps to identify the source of infection and control its spread. Pregnant women are also encouraged to get vaccinated to further protect themselves and their babies.

In order to increase immunization coverage for pertussis, the Ministry has lowered the age for the first vaccination to 6 weeks old. This allows newborns to build up antibodies early on for protection. Awareness campaigns are being conducted to highlight the importance of vaccination against whooping cough, with public notices issued and medical teams updated on the increase in incidence of the disease. Regular assessments are done with health funds to ensure that efforts to control whooping cough are effective.