Saskatchewan is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of whooping cough. During the last 3 years, there have been 5 deaths due to whooping cough in infants less than one year of age. Of these, 4 deaths occurred in infants under one month of age and one in an unvaccinated infant 3 months of age.
One reason for this is that adults who may have a mild episode of whooping cough continue to infect infants either before they start their vaccination or before they mount good protection following initiation of vaccination. Preventing whooping cough in mothers of newborn infants is an important way of protecting infants. From July 26, 2010, the Yorkton Regional Health Centre will be offering a single booster of Adacel or Boostrix vaccine to mothers who will deliver their babies at that hospital.
Mothers who delivered on or after April 1, 2010 also qualify for this booster dose until their babies reach the age of 6 months. Persons other than biological mothers who provide regular care to the newborn babies should contact their local Public Health Nurses. Please contact your local Public Health Nurse for more information.
