Whooping cough cases are still on the rise nationally. Young babies are most at risk from serious illness and even death. Please be vigilant for the symptoms of Whooping Cough:
– Difficulty breathing
– Cough or wheeze that can occur mostly at night.
– Young infants may turn blue, purple or grey as they struggle to breathe when coughing.
– There may be thick, sticky mucus or vomiting.
– Some children & adults will make a ‘whoop’ sound as they breathe in but not all do this.
If you suspect Whooping Cough in an infant under 24-months old we advise you to attend A&E for an urgent assessment & tests (Locally, this is Boston, Lincoln or Grimsby…NOT UTC at Skegness or Louth).
Your GP practice cannot test/swab under-2’s for Whooping Cough – this is done in hospital.
If you are worried that you or a child over 2-years might have Whooping cough, contact the practice during opening hours or call NHS 111 / attend UTC.
Further information on Whooping Cough can be found here – Whooping cough – NHS
Pregnancy
Don’t forget to book your Whooping Cough vaccine from 16 weeks gestation! There is no cure for Whooping cough & it can be fatal to young babies who aren’t old enough to start their vaccines.
Vaccination in pregnancy helps to protect your baby from birth.
You can contact the practice 24-7 online using the admin section – let us know what times & days you can come in and we will send you an appointment.
If you are worried about vaccines, please let us know so our nurses can answer any questions you might have or visit:
Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy – NHS