U.K. family doctors have begun asking visitors to wear face masks as the country weathers a growing outbreak of whooping cough.
Several practices have asked patients to don masks to prevent the spread of the contagious disease, according to The Telegraph. And at least one has recommended patients wait for their appointments outside.
The U.K. has already seen 2,793 cases of whooping cough so far this year, with five babies tragically succumbing to the disease.
There were 556 cases in January, 918 in February and a further 1,319 in March, according to public health body the U.K. Health Security Agency. The organisation released its latest statistics on the illness on Friday.
What Is Whooping Cough?
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that affects a person’s lungs. It’s also known as ‘100-day cough’ and ‘pertussis.’
It shares many symptoms with the common cold — but it can be much more serious and last far longer.
In the first week or two, symptoms include runny nose, low-level fever and occasional coughs, except in babies, who don’t cough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Young children may have more severe symptoms than older children and adults. They may experience pauses in breathing (apnea) and cyanosis, where their skin turns purple or blue.
The disease may then progress to ‘stage two’, which is characterized by rapid and violent coughing fits. These fits tend to become more serious and more frequent as the disease continues. They normally last up to six weeks, but sometimes last for 10.
Fits can be so violent they leave a person gasping — or even “whooping” — for breath once they’re over. The fits can also make people vomit.
A final ‘recovery’ phase can take another two weeks and leave a person vulnerable to respiratory illness for months, the CDC reports. Coughing slowly reduces, but fits can still return in the future.
Young infants are most likely to develop serious whooping cough symptoms. For this reason, vaccines are available for both pregnant mothers and children to help protect against the disease.
Vaccines given during pregnancy offer 92% protection against infant mortality, according to the UKHSA.
People who are vaccinated also tend to have less severe symptoms.
As it’s contagious, public health experts recommend people with symptoms and those with infected family members stay home.
Antibiotics may be used to treat the disease, but these should be given as soon as possible after symptoms develop.
After about three weeks, the body has usually cleared the infection itself, so antibiotics won’t help improve symptoms.
If antibiotics have been taken at an early stage, this can also impact how long an infected person and their family are advised to stay home.
In the U.K., officials say you should stay home for at least 48 hours after antibiotic treatment begins.
If antibiotics aren’t taken, they advise people with whooping cough and their family members to stay at home for three weeks after symptoms start.
During illness, people can help manage symptoms by drinking plenty of water, eating small meals to prevent vomiting, preventing exposure to irritants like smoke, washing hands frequently and using a cool mist humidifier, according to the CDC
Why Are Cases Rising Now?
Cases normally increase every 3 to 5 years, and the U.K. is overdue an outbreak, according to the UKHSA.
Like other contagious diseases like measles, stricter infection control measures may have helped keep case numbers down during the pandemic.
The population may now have a lower level of immunity to the disease than during previous outbreaks.
Vaccine coverage has fallen in the U.K. in recent years, so government officials urged members of the public to come forward for their free shots.
What Shots Are Given For Whooping Cough?
In the U.K., pregnant women, infants and children are given shots against the disease.
Women are offered a shot every time they’re pregnant. Doctors recommend this takes place between 20 and 32 weeks.
“This passes protection to their baby in the womb so that they are protected from birth in the first months of their life when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines,” said UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Gayatri Amirthalingam in a statement.
Babies get further protection at 8, 12 and 16 weeks in the form of shots that also protect against other illnesses like polio and diphtheria.
A preschool booster vaccine is recommended once kids reach 3 years and 4 months of age.
“Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but for very young babies it can be extremely serious,” said Amirthalingam. “Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.”
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