Key Summary
- The UKHSA has released an audio clip to help parents identify the distinctive "whoop" of a serious pertussis infection.
- Health officials emphasize that while cases peaked in 2024, the risk remains critical for unvaccinated infants.
- A new 18-month vaccine dose is being introduced this year to bolster long-term community protection.
In order to raise awareness regarding whooping cough, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an audio clip of the distinctive sound made by those suffering from the disease, cautioning that the condition often mimics an ordinary cold before becoming life-threatening.
Parents are being urged to listen for the "whoop" - a gasping breath taken between severe coughing bouts - which is a hallmark of the potentially fatal infection.
Health officials say the infection initially starts with mild symptoms such as a runny nose and low fever and gradually develops into severe coughing bouts.
UKHSA cautioned: "Whooping cough can start like a cold. The 'whoop' is distinctive, although some babies and adults don't make the classic sound."
As per official figures there was a sharp rise in cases in 2024, and they have declined since then.
However, the watchdog emphasised it is crucial that parents stay alert.
Despite the reduction in cases, doctors caution that the danger remains, especially for the children.
Babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated are at greatest risk.
Experts warn that older children and adults frequently experience milder symptoms. However, they can still be transmitted to other people.
Health officials emphasised that vaccination remains the strongest line of defence available to us.
In the UK, babies receive vaccination at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. After that, a booster dose follows in early childhood. A new 18-month dose is being introduced for children born from July 2024.
Vaccination during pregnancy is more than 90 percent effective at preventing deaths in young babies, as protection is passed on before birth.
Hence, pregnant women are advised to get vaccinated from around 20 weeks.
Whooping cough typically peaks every three to five years, with previous surges recorded in 2012 and 2016.
