Immunise Yourself with Whooping Cough Vaccine
Get Vaccinated and Immunise Yourself against Whooping Cough
If you’ve ever experienced fits of uncontrollable coughing, you know how annoying it can be. Whooping cough does that to you. Also known as Pertussis because it is caused by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria, the infection can lead to uncontrollable and violent coughing, making it difficult for the patient to breathe. It can infect people of all ages but infants are particularly vulnerable.
Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease that affects respiratory organs like the lungs and airways. The infection can last up to ten weeks or more. In Australia, whooping cough epidemics are known to occur once every three or four years. A 2016 survey revealed that over 20,000 people had been infected by whooping cough in the country of which 8,499 were adults.
The Symptoms
The incubation period (i.e., the time period between when a person gets infected and the onset of the symptoms) is usually 5 to 10 days. Though the initial symptoms are similar to the common cold (mild coughing, runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever), they soon give way to intense bouts of coughing accompanied by a whooping sound. The patient may find it difficult to breathe and even lose consciousness due to intense coughing fits. Symptoms of whooping cough include:
Coughing
Dehydration
Skin colour around the mouth turning purple or blue
Breathing difficulties
Runny or blocked nose
Fever; and
Vomiting
One of the most common ways of diagnosing the disease is the ‘whooping’ sound patients make while coughing. The disease is highly infectious and spreads through acts like sneezing and coughing. Pertussis generally isn’t fatal for adults, but poses special risks for infants. It can cause pneumonia, breathing difficulties, dehydration or weight loss, seizures and brain damage in children below six months of age.
Whooping Cough Vaccine
Despite the symptoms, whooping cough does not have to be a major cause of worry. You can protect yourself from the adverse effects of the disease with timely vaccination. The vaccine Boostrix which is easily available in medical stores, clinics and hospitals can boost protection against Pertussis in both children and adults. At Priceline Pharmacy, we have qualified professionals who can administer the whooping cough vaccine to you.
What to do when whooping cough hits you?
Our Services
Pharmacists at Priceline Pharmacy are available throughout the week. Drop into the clinic for a walk-in appointment or book an appointment online. The best protection against whooping cough is to get yourself inoculated. Get in touch today!
Check the other SERVICES we offer at Priceline Pharmacy West Brunswick.
Suggested readings:
Whooping Cough Vaccination in the Pharmacy
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