North West parents and mums-to-be urged to get vaccinated as whooping cough cases rise

Health leaders are calling for parents and mums-to-be to protect their children against whooping cough, with a focus on areas with the lowest vaccine uptake in the country. Credit: PA

Health leaders are calling on the parents of young babies and pregnant women to get the pertussis vaccine, as whooping cough cases continue to rise in areas with low uptake.

The North West has the lowest uptake of the jab outside of London, with NHS data revealing the number of vaccinated pregnant women has dropped by 15% since 2019.

This latest appeal comes after the UK Health Security Agency revealed there has been a large increase in whooping cough cases across England. In January 2024 alone, there were 553 confirmed cases, compared to 856 in all of 2023.

Whooping cough is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes, and can be caught by people of all ages but is particularly dangerous for babies that are less than a year old.

Mums-to-be are offered the vaccine during their pregnancy, which also provides protection to their baby from birth. However, in the North West the proportion of mums who take the vaccine has fallen from 70.9% in 2019 to 55.7% in 2023.

Tricia Spedding, Deputy Head of Public Health at NHS England – North West said: “The drop in uptake of the pertussis vaccine in the North West is worrying, as although anyone can catch whooping cough, the infection can be very serious in young babies."

The North West also has the second lowest vaccine uptake nationally in babies, who are offered the jab at 8,12, and 16 weeks of age.

The World Health Organisation set a recommended target of 95% vaccine uptake, however just 93% of babies in the North West receive the vaccine by the time they turn one.

In some areas, including Liverpool, Knowsley, and Blackburn, vaccination rates are lower than 85%.

Tricia Spedding said: “If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated, or if your child hasn’t yet had the 6-in-1 combination vaccine, please contact your GP surgery to book an appointment to get the protection from whooping cough as soon as possible. If you’re unsure, check your child’s red book (health record).

“Vaccination remains the very best protection for babies and children from becoming unwell with whooping cough.”

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