Action demanded on vaccines after five whooping cough deaths
Five children have died due to whooping cough since the start of the year, new figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have shown.
The bacterial disease, which is particularly dangerous to babies under six months old, has been rising in prevalence since the beginning of 2024, according to UKHSA, with 2,793 cases in January-March alongside the five infant deaths.
“School and public health nurses are key to improving the uptake of childhood immunisations”
Sharon White
The highest rate of cases, the UKHSA said, was in babies under three months of age, though the majority of cases were in those aged 15 years and above.
The five deaths happened against a backdrop of declining vaccine rates and increasing infection numbers for this infectious disease – among others such as measles.
UKHSA figures published in March 2024 found that 12-month UK coverage of the 6-in-1 vaccine, which protects against whooping cough, decreased by 0.1%, down to 91.9% in April-June 2023, compared to the prior quarter.
The UK Government has now been urged to take “rapid action” to tackle whooping cough and in particular increase vaccination rates.
Health and Social Care Committee chair Steve Brine described the deaths as a “tragedy” and said vaccination rates must be boosted across the UK.
A 2023 report by the committee showed that England failed to meet its 95% target for any routine childhood immunisation in 2021-22 and suggested that retired clinical staff and medical and nursing students should be given a “greater role” in immunisation to boost numbers – a recommendation the government rejected.
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough, known clinically as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and airways.
It can present at first as a cold, showing similar symptoms such as a runny nose or sore throat.
However, the infection can progress and cause coughing bouts which can last for minutes at a time and which are often worse at night.
People with the disease may make a ‘whooping’ noise when they cough. Not all coughs associated with the infection cause a ‘whoop’, though.
Whooping cough is often much more serious in babies under six months old, who may experience dehydration, breathing difficulties, pneumonia or even fits.
For adults and older children, it can cause sore ribs, hernias, middle ear infections or urinary incontinence.
It is treated with antibiotics and can be prevented with a childhood vaccination.
More on whooping cough can be found here:
Fact file – Prevention, diagnosis and management of pertussis
“Today’s figures from the UKHSA highlight the need for rapid action to prevent a further fall in the uptake of vaccinations across the country,” said Mr Brine.
“In our work on this subject, my committee urged the government to heed the lessons of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout making the most of the wide range of healthcare professionals who could deliver vaccines in easy to reach places.
“Specifically, to give medical and nursing students and recently retired staff a greater role to help boost declining rates, a call ministers rejected.
“In the light of today’s sad news, I urge the government to rethink its approach and follow steps we have outlined to boost vaccination uptake across the country.”
Sharon White
Sharon White, chief executive of the School and Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA), said the declining uptake in vaccinations reflected the shrinking of the health visiting, school nursing and public health nursing workforces seen in recent years.
“School and public health nurses are key to improving the uptake of childhood immunisations, [and] building trusting relationships with parents, children and young people, offering help, advice support, dealing with those who are contraindicated and those worried over anti-vaccination disinformation.”
Vaccinations in pregnancy, often administered by nurses, offer around 92% protection from whooping cough for babies, according to the UKHSA, with childhood immunisation (as part of the six-in-one vaccine) also being key to preventing infection.
The UKHSA pointed out that uptake for both childhood and pregnancy vaccinations had “fallen in recent years”, and highlighted the importance of it in curbing the spread.
Whooping cough is a “cyclical disease” that usually peaks every three to five years, explained the UKHSA.
The figures suggested that the increase in whooping cough cases, which has also occurred in other countries, is the first cyclical increase since 2016.
The agency said that while vaccinations had fallen, a peak year was “overdue” and that the pandemic had reduced immunity in the population.
UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam added: “Vaccination remains the best defence against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young infants receive their vaccines at the right time.”
Dr Amirthalingam added: “Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but for very young babies it can be extremely serious.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.
