Australians planning to visit popular holiday destinations over Christmas are being urged to check their whooping cough vaccinations, amid warnings that the highly contagious infection could spread rapidly over the summer.
Communities stretching from Byron Bay to Noosa have been identified as potential hotspots, with vaccination rates as much as 35 per cent below the national average.
GP Dr Zac Turner said the arrival of large numbers of visitors could place additional pressure on areas where immunisation rates were lower.
“Popular holiday spots often have less of a vaccination rate and some of these places can actually swell by two or three or four times the population,” he said.
Whooping cough vaccination warning for vulnerable groups
Dr Turner said the influx of holidaymakers could increase the risk to older people, schoolchildren and infants, with newborn babies particularly vulnerable because they cannot receive their first whooping cough vaccination until about six weeks of age.
People expecting to spend time around young children were advised to consider a booster if they had not been vaccinated within the past decade. Pregnant women were also urged to remain up to date, with a booster recommended during every pregnancy between 20 and 32 weeks.
Whooping cough usually starts with cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and a mild cough. It can then develop into severe coughing bouts lasting weeks or even months.
The infection can be especially dangerous for babies, who may struggle to breathe, temporarily stop breathing or develop complications including pneumonia.
Dr Turner warned that protection from previous vaccination or infection can decline over time. Anyone unsure when they last received a booster was encouraged to speak to their doctor, particularly if they planned to be around newborn babies, pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems.
“It’s $30 to $45 for these vaccines. Go and get one, and you can make sure that you can keep safe,” he said.
