Vienna: Update your whooping cough vaccine earlier and more often

Due to the explosive number of whooping cough (pertussis) cases, the National Immunization Board (NIG) is now recommending earlier and more frequent vaccinations. The first after the basic vaccination in childhood should take place at the age of five, according to the recently updated vaccination schedule. Vaccine protection is now renewed every five years instead of every ten years. There have been more than 12,000 cases of whooping cough in Austria since January.

Whooping cough is life threatening for babies

In the whole year, 2,791 infections were registered in this country with the disease, which threatens the life of babies. This year, 12,789 cases have already been registered by October 10 alone, said the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) in response to APA’s request. While 579 pertussis infections were reported across Austria in 2015, the numbers had already risen to 2,233 infections in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic. With Corona measures, there was only a temporary drop to 632, 129 and 164 cases in the three years from 2020 to 2022.

Free pertussis status

The pertussis vaccine is included in the free childhood immunization program and is given as a basic three-part vaccine with a six-fold vaccine in the third, fifth and eleventh to twelve months of life NIG medical experts now advise that the first booster with the quadruple diphtheria-tetanus-polio-pertussis vaccine should take place in the sixth year of life from the fifth birthday . Previously, the first refresher course was recommended between the ages of seven and nine, but it was better to do that when you started primary school. “The booster vaccine should be given before you start school, because from the age of six there is a significant decrease in antibody levels (‘decline’) and infection rates increase,” says the Austrian vaccination plan. it was updated at the beginning of October.

Booster vaccination after five years

“In order to quickly contain the current infection rate of pertussis,” a second increase is recommended after five years or at the latest at age 13 or 14 before the end of compulsory school age. Adults are also now advised to get a booster shot every five years with the triple combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria components. Previously, a recommendation for every five years only applied to people aged 60 and over, it was assumed that an interval of ten years would be sufficient.

Immunization is especially important for infants and the elderly

Vaccination against pertussis is recommended for everyone, but it is especially important for babies and small children, pregnant women and those around newborns. Workers in health care, childcare facilities and schools, or those who have frequent contact with the public, should also make sure they are up to date on vaccinations. Among people with a greater risk of a serious course of the disease are those who have asthma, COPD, chronic lung diseases, heart and circulation, cancer, immunity and smokers.

Not subject to reporting

Pertussis is to be reported, with emphasis on the NIG. This year’s pertussis cases have reached more than four times the level of 2019 and almost match the level of the disease in 1959, ie before the national vaccination program was introduced. With the illness, cough can last for months and even vomit. Possible complications include shortness of breath and secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia. In about one percent of cases, babies die.