There are urgent calls to lift vaccination rates, with Queensland experiencing an unprecedented whooping cough epidemic. More than 12-thousand-500 infections have been reported. That's a huge jump on this time last year when there were just 549 cases. The majority were children aged 5 to 14 years. But concerningly, 37 babies under the age of six months were also hospitalised —one died.
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00:00There are urgent calls to lift vaccination rates, with Queensland experiencing an unprecedented
00:09whooping cough epidemic.
00:11More than 12,500 infections have been reported so far this year.
00:17That's a huge jump on this time last year, when there were 549 cases.
00:23The majority were children aged 5 to 14 years.
00:27But concerningly, 37 babies under the age of 6 months were hospitalised.
00:33One died.
00:34It's the worst year for whooping cough in Queensland on record.
00:39Babies are the most vulnerable age group.
00:41For them, whooping cough can be life-threatening.
00:45It's why doctors are concerned that fewer pregnant women are getting vaccinated.
00:50It's dropped from 77 per cent in 2020 to 71 per cent in 2023.
00:57In some regions, the vaccination rate has fallen below 65 per cent.
01:03If mothers get vaccinated during pregnancy, there is a significant chance that that will
01:09protect their baby.
01:11Whooping cough is highly infectious.
01:13It starts with a runny nose and sneezing and progresses to severe coughing.
01:19It can lead to pneumonia, seizures and brain damage from prolonged lack of oxygen.
01:25It's frightening.
01:26It's frightening not just for parents, it's frightening for doctors and nurses looking
01:30after these small children because you just want to help them and you just can't.
01:34Once they've got whooping cough, it's very difficult to look after them.
01:38Whooping cough vaccines for pregnant women are free.
01:41It's one dose between 20 and 32 weeks gestation.
01:46Women get five doses, starting at two months old up until four years of age.