95bFM Epidemiologist calls for those to vaccinate against whooping cough to protect young tamariki
29 January, 2025
Interview by Athena Li-Watts, adapted by Marlo Schorr-Kon
Epidemiologist and researcher at the University of Auckland, Dr Hannah Chisholm, says vaccinating against whooping cough is vital to protect yourself and tamariki amidst concerns Aotearoa’s whooping cough epidemic this year will be the most challenging in the nation yet.
An epidemiologist is calling for people to get vaccinated against whooping cough, as medical professionals are concerned this year's epidemic will be the most difficult yet in Aotearoa’s history.
Whooping cough, declared an epidemic by Te Whatu Ora in November of 2024, is a respiratory infection caused by a dangerous bacteria that babies and toddlers are particularly susceptible to. However, the disease is preventable through vaccination during pregnancy.
Epidemiologist and researcher at the University of Auckland, Dr Hannah Chisholm, told 95bFM’s The Wire that as young babies and children do not have as robust of an immune system as adults do, this can result in devastating consequences for those not immunised again the infection.
“[Babies and young children] are at [a] high risk of nasty outcomes like difficulty breathing or [completing] stopping breathing, brain damage, and death.”
Low vaccination rates, along with childhood poverty and New Zealand's struggling health system, are all factors Chrisholm says have led to whooping cough being classified as an epidemic.
It is also one of the first widespread, serious illnesses the country has faced since the Covid-19 pandemic, which she says could affect the transmissibility of the disease.
“It's the first epidemic after these strict social distancing measures were put in place for these endemic diseases.”
“[Social distancing] might have been disruptive to the transmission dynamics. It might alter the timing and severity of epidemics.”
Chrisholm advises those to get themselves and their tamariki vaccinated against whooping cough, as the vaccine currently available in New Zealand is highly effective and has minimal side effects.
“The most people get [regarding the vaccine] is a bit of a sore arm and the effectiveness of this vaccine is really good for preventing serious complications.”
