As the healthcare sector continues to respond to a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic across the motu, it’s promising to see a recent uptick in the number of Boostrix immunisations among the 15- to 44-year-old age group, with a recent doubling of doses administered from about 1,000 per week to over 2,000 per week.
While the figures are preliminary and indicative only, they show very encouraging signs that more New Zealanders are responding to the call to action and following the public health advice to protect themselves and others by getting immunised. This message also continues to be supported through promotional media and social campaign activity, with immunisation-focussed activities happening on the ground.
We have been running a national pertussis awareness campaign across digital, radio and television. The campaign has been viewed nearly 7 million times on digital channels, with 900,000 people reached through Facebook, 4 million views of campaign videos and over 3,000 more people taking action to access the bookmyvaccine website. The pertussis campaign aims to engage hapū māmā and their whānau, focusing on increasing awareness about the risks associated with pertussis and emphasising the significance of antenatal and timely vaccination.
While the improving figures are a great step in the right direction, there is absolutely more work to do. We are unable to specify at this early stage how many of those in the figures are pregnant, noting some will also be caregivers, whanau members, health workers.
We have seen increases in coverage across Aotearoa and current rates are approaching 60 per cent. It is lower for Māori and Pacific but there are strategies underway to target those communities more effectively.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious illness. It can be particularly dangerous for newborn babies, young children and older adults, and in some cases it can be fatal. Māori and Pacific babies are at high risk. In 2023, three babies sadly died from whooping cough, and we very much want to avoid that happening again.
So far this year, we have had 1,329 cases up to December 6, which includes 117 people hospitalised. Of those hospitalised, there were 54 babies aged under one year old, including 41 ages less than six months old.
As cases continue to rise as expected, it’s a sobering reminder that the best way to protect our precious little ones is to get immunised, which is free and safe for pregnant people and for anyone aged under 18.
Because babies cannot be vaccinated until they are six weeks old, the best protection for them is for anyone who is pregnant to get the vaccine, which means that their immunity is then passed onto pēpi. The vaccine is safe, free and most effective when given from 16 weeks of pregnancy and should be given during each pregnancy to provide the best protection for each baby.
In response to the Immunisation Taskforce recommendations, we have completed or commenced 52 of 54 recommendations. We are also working closely with providers, primary health organisations and outreach services, meeting weekly in all local districts. Health NZ is committed to improving the antenatal immunisation system and ensuring all hapu people are aware of, and have access to, immunisations during pregnancy. This includes supporting hapu people and their whānau to have trusted conversations with their healthcare providers.
Community pharmacies were enabled to offer Boostrix vaccination in August 2022, providing another option for hapū people to receive pregnancy vaccines. As of October 2024, just under 60% of vaccinating pharmacies are offering Boostrix vaccines. Health NZ is continuing to support pharmacies not offering pregnancy vaccines to include this in their service.
Health NZ is investing $135million of new funding in the two financial years from 2023/24 to 2024/25 into services and systems to lift childhood immunisation rates. This includes funding to:
- support general practice to enable best practice pre-call and recall activities (recalling people who are due or overdue their immunisations).
- Fee for service price uplifts in primary care
- support Well Child services to provide immunisations. Health NZ has progressed a partnership with Whānau Āwhina Plunket – Well Child Tamariki Ora to establish and deliver delivery of childhood immunisation services to areas of high need.
- community pharmacies can provide immunisation as another convenient point of access for communities,
- enable Māori and Pacific partners to deliver targeted outreach services,
- support delivery of antenatal immunisations with a focus on pertussis
- deliver targeted social marketing campaigns across multiple platforms to raise awareness and encourage immunisation
In the meantime, we continue to encourage everyone who is eligible to be up to date with their pertussis vaccinations. They’re free to anyone aged 18 and under, and the free combined pertussis and tetanus booster is available to anyone from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and can also get one free from age 65.
For more information, or help to book your vaccination, call the Vaccination Healthline free on 0800 28 29 26 (8.30am-5.00pm Monday to Friday) or visit info.health.nz/bookavaccine