A probe from the Immunisation Foundation of Australia finds few hospitals are stocking a whooping cough-containing booster to jab patients with tetanus-prone wounds.
Despite health authorities advising the use of a combined vaccine in emergency rooms for routine wound care to bolster protection against whooping cough, immunization rates remain alarmingly low according to recent studies.
Known as the '100-day cough,' this bacterial infection targets the respiratory system, leading to relentless coughing fits and difficulty breathing.
A decade ago, Hughes experienced the tragedy of losing her 32-day-old son, Riley, to this devastating disease.
Raina MacIntyre, who leads global biosecurity efforts at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, emphasizes that vaccinating adults is crucial in controlling the spread of the outbreak.