Who should get the whooping cough vaccine?

Pregnant women, newborn babies, school children, the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions are considered high-risk groups for whooping cough and should be proactively vaccinated. According to statistics from the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, there have been 127 cases of whooping cough nationwide as of early May, which is a significant increase compared to the same period in 2023. The disease is most prevalent in provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, and Vinh Phuc.

Hanoi City has seen a continuous increase in cases, with a total of 98 cases reported so far this year. The characteristics of these cases are dispersed, and no outbreaks have been recorded. CDC Hanoi predicts that there may be more scattered cases of pertussis in the future, especially in young children who are not yet of vaccination age or have not been fully vaccinated.

Dr. Bach Thi Chinh, Director of VNVC Vaccination System, warns that whooping cough cases are on the rise this year, with the pathogens circulating in the community and the potential for epidemics to occur. In light of this, she recommends that five groups of people should proactively get vaccinated: pregnant women, children from two months old, school-age children, caregivers of young children, and elderly people or those with underlying medical conditions.

Pregnant women are advised to get vaccinated against whooping cough to pass antibodies to their children during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Children from two months old are at high risk of complications if they contract the disease, and vaccination is recommended as early as six weeks. School children and those caring for young children should also get vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease. Elderly people and individuals with underlying medical conditions should receive one dose of the vaccine, followed by booster shots every 10 years for protection.