Answer:

The whooping cough bacteria spreads easily through the respiratory tract via droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking. It can also linger on surfaces like cups and dishes, infecting others who share them. The risk is higher in closed environments like homes and schools. Statistics show that almost 100% of unvaccinated individuals living in close proximity are at risk of infection.

Babies under two months old are particularly vulnerable due to their underdeveloped immune systems and ineligibility for vaccination. They often contract the illness from their mothers, caregivers, or family members. Recently, Ho Chi Minh City reported a case of whooping cough in a one-month-old infant in Long Dien commune, suspected to have been transmitted from a family member.

A young child receives the 6-in-1 vaccine, which includes a whooping cough component, at the VNVC vaccination system. Photo: Moc Mien

A young child receives the 6-in-1 vaccine, which includes a whooping cough component, at the VNVC vaccination system. Photo: Moc Mien

To protect your child, avoid crowded places, ensure adequate breastfeeding, and clean their tongue regularly. After returning home, both you and other caregivers should bathe and change clothes before interacting with the baby. Adults should also get vaccinated against whooping cough to prevent contracting and transmitting the disease.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health), vaccination is the most effective way to prevent whooping cough. Vietnam offers 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 vaccines that protect against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, polio, meningitis, and pneumonia caused by the Hib bacteria. You should vaccinate your child as soon as they are between 6 weeks and two months old.

To protect infants in the first few months of life before they can be vaccinated, pregnant women should receive the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) vaccine between weeks 27 and 36 of their pregnancy. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), maternal vaccination during the third trimester reduces the risk of whooping cough in newborns under two months old by 78% and the risk of hospitalization by 91%.

Doctor Bui Thanh Phong

Medical Manager, VNVC Vaccination System

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