Health expert says people over 40 should take action as illness sweeps UK

A health expert has told people over the age of 40 they need to take action to avoid a serious illness which is sweeping the country. Five babies in England have died after being diagnosed with whooping cough, health officials have said amid a rapid rise in cases.

More than 2,700 whooping cough cases have been reported across England so far in 2024 – more than three times the number recorded in the whole of last year. Now, speaking on Good Morning Britain, Dr Ellie Cannon said that although people in general were vaccinated when they were children - buthe time they get to their 40s it will have worn off.

And she added that if the adult gets whooping cough their children are more likely to get it too. She said: “There has been unfortunately, a drop in the number of pregnant women who take up the vaccination. The reason we vaccinated pregnant women for over 10 years, actually is so they’re immune. They’re not going to catch whooping cough. And they’re not going to pass it to their newborn baby.

“Because, as you’ll know, newborns don’t even start their vaccines until they’re two months old. So there has been a drop in that.” She explained that the drop off which is putting children at risk might come from the anti-vax movement. She said: “Possibly there are some legacy issues from the conspiracy theories from Covid. But also the access issues around Covid. Don’t forget, people just couldn’t get to their vaccinations even if they wanted to. We saw that with a lot of the childhood vaccinations. So there are sort of Children now who may be in primary school who were toddlers during the pandemic who who weren’t vaccinated.”

On the issue of older adults she said vulnerable people should contact their GP to see about a vaccination boost: “People my age in their forties we did were vaccinated as babies, but actually, our vaccinations have worn off, so GPS like me see a lot of people in their thirties and forties and fifties who were vaccinated, actually, but they’re no longer immune.”

New UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show there were 2,793 cases reported to the end of March. That compares to 858 cases for the whole of 2023.

The UKHSA said between January and the end of March, there have been five infant deaths. UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam said: “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.” In March alone, some 1,319 cases were reported, according to the provisional data.

The bacterial infection, also known as pertussis, affects the lungs and breathing tubes. Whooping cough can be called the “100-day cough” because of how long it can take to recover from it, and it spreads very easily.

There were 556 cases recorded in January and 918 in February. Pregnant women are being urged to take up the offer of the whooping cough vaccine so they can pass on protection to their babies, which should last until they are old enough to get vaccinated themselves.

Between January and the end of March, 108 babies under the age of three months were diagnosed with whooping cough. Some 51% of cases during this period were among those aged 15 and older. Health officials describe whooping cough as a “cyclical disease”, which means it peaks every few years. With whooping cough this is every three to five years.

The last big increase was seen in 2016, but cases dipped to very low numbers during the coronavirus pandemic which means the current peak is “overdue”, the UKHSA said. It added the impact of the pandemic means there is “reduced immunity in the population”.

UKHSA also said vaccine uptake has fallen in recent years – both the jabs for pregnant women and children. Dr 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.”

The NHS recommends all pregnant women are vaccinated against whooping cough between 16 and 32 weeks. Immunity from the jab passes through the placenta to protect newborn babies in their first weeks of life.

When a baby is eight weeks old they are offered the six-in-one vaccine, which includes immunisation against whooping cough. The second dose of the vaccine is offered at 12 weeks and the third is offered at 16 weeks.

When children are three years and four months they will be offered the four-in-one pre-school booster, which protects against pertussis. Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: “With cases of whooping cough continuing to rise sharply across the country, and today’s figures sadly showing five infant deaths, it is vital that families come forward to get the protection they need.

“If you are pregnant and have not been vaccinated yet, or your child is not up-to-date with whooping cough or other routine vaccinations, please contact your GP as soon as possible, and if you or your child show symptoms ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.”