News Vaccines
Winter Vaccine newsletter
Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy
 |
Whooping cough (pertussis) rates have risen recently. Babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk. Whooping cough can be serious for babies and may lead to complications resulting in hospitalisation and even death. Pregnant women can help protect their babies by getting vaccinated. You should usually have the whooping cough vaccine around the time of your mid-pregnancy scan (usually at 20 weeks pregnant), but you can have it from 16 weeks. To help give the best protection to your baby, you should have the vaccine before 32 weeks. If you miss out, you can still have the vaccine later.
Is the whooping cough vaccine safe in pregnancy?There's no evidence to suggest that the whooping cough vaccine is unsafe for you or your unborn baby. Pertussis-containing vaccine (whooping cough vaccine) has been used routinely in pregnant women in the UK since October 2012. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) carefully monitors the ongoing safety of all medicines.
Will my baby still need to be vaccinated against whooping cough at 8 weeks if I've had the vaccine while pregnant?Yes. Whenever you have the whooping cough vaccine, your baby will still need to be vaccinated according to the normal NHS vaccination schedule when they reach 8 weeks old. Babies are protected against whooping cough by the 6-in-1 vaccine. Whooping cough vaccination |
Routine Vaccinations for Children and Adults
 |
 |
Children's Flu and Adolescent Immunisation Programme 2024/2025
Children and young people eligible for the flu vaccination because they fall into the “at risk” category can also be vaccinated in general practice
For additional information regarding the Seasonal Flu Programme 2024/25 please refer to: Annual flu programme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Students who are not in mainstream education (e.g. home educated) should be vaccinated by the SAIS, if their date of birth falls within a school programme cohort
POST 16 VACCINATIONS
The Men ACWY vaccination can be offered opportunistically for those up to the age of 25 who have not previously had a Men C containing vaccine since the age of 10.There is no upper age limit for catch up of Td/IPV
Girls aged 16 -25 years of age can be opportunistically offered/caught up with the HPV vaccination in general practice. Please note that girls commencing the course over the age of 15 years no longer require a three-dose course of this vaccine.
Please be aware that the HPV catch-up for boys applies only to those who were eligible for the vaccine in school year 8 at commencement of this programme in 2019/20, therefore those born on or after 01/09/2006.
Whooping cough updates
The number of whooping cough (pertussis) cases continues to rise, with 1319 cases confirmed in England for March 2024, compared with 858 cases in the whole of 2023. The pertussis infection can be very serious and can result in hospitalisation and even death in babies who are too young to start their vaccinations.
Sadly, between January and March 2024, there have been 5 infant deaths, across England, from whooping cough and the NHS is urging pregnant women to come forward for their vaccination.
The pertussis vaccination given in pregnancy provides protection for pregnant women and young babies against this very serious illness.
