France has been facing a whooping cough epidemic since the beginning of 2024, even more so since May. The circulation of the bacteria is very significant.
A bacterial disease that has been rather discreet in recent years, Whooping cough is on the rise in France as in other European countries since the beginning of the year 2024especially since May.”Whooping cough can pose a real danger to babies under two months old, too young to have received a complete vaccination series, causing frequent hospitalizations and excessive many deaths” recalls Dr. Muriel Beliah-Nappez, referring physician for vaccination policy at the public health department of the ARS Ile-de-France, in September. The number ofhospitalizations for whooping cough after going to the emergency room was multiplied by 7 between mid-March and early June.
Whooping cough is characterized by frequent and prolonged coughing fits. It is very contagious. Much more than chickenpox and as much as measles. It is transmitted through the air, particularly by droplets of saliva emitted during coughing, mainly within a family or a community. In addition to preventive measures (wearing a mask, washing hands, etc.), the best protection remains vaccination.
► Vaccination is mandatory in all infants born from January 1, 2018. Primary vaccination at 2 months, 4 months and first booster at 11 months.
► Vaccination is recommended for pregnant womenand with each new pregnancy
► The people with chronic respiratory disease or immunosuppression or obesity as well as those aged 80 and over and their close contacts (at home but also outside and in the workplace) must be up to date with their vaccinations.
Vaccine boosters should be given:
- in children at 6 years old then between 11 and 13 years old
- in adults at 25 years of age: 1 dose of combined vaccine containing the pertussis vaccine (except in the case of pertussis vaccination less than 5 years ago). If this booster was not given at 25 years of age, it can be given any time between 26 and 40 years of age.
- At 45 and 65 years old in a professional context only: healthcare workers, in nursing homes, maternity wards, neonatology and pediatric services, early childhood workers including childminders and people who regularly babysit, students in medical and paramedical fields.
Since July 2024, The High Authority for Health (HAS) has recommended that any person in close contact with a newborn and/or infants under 6 months in a family or professional setting receive a booster against whooping cough if the last vaccination was more than 5 years ago.
To find out if you are up to date, simply look in your health record (paper or electronic). Normally, all the vaccines are listed there. If in doubt, consult a doctor, nurse, midwife or pharmacist who can check. The vaccine against whooping cough is combined with that against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (tetravalent), Hib meningitis (pentavalent) and hepatitis B (hexavalent). It can be prescribed and administered by a doctor, midwife or pharmacist or nurse for people over 11 years old. It is covered at 65% by Health Insurance, the remaining amount is generally reimbursed by mutual insurance companies. It is sold under the names: Tetravac-acellular®, Infanrix Tetra®, Repevax®, Boostrixtetra®, Infanrix Quinta®, Pentavac®, Hexyon®, Infanrix Hexa®, Vaxelis®.
