26/03/2025
More pēpi (babies) are being protected from whooping cough (pertussis) thanks to a push by Hawke’s Bay Hospital Midwives to immunise more pregnant people (hāpū māmā).
Midwives who run the hospital-based antenatal clinic are working hard to provide more immunisation opportunities, making it more convenient for hāpū māmā to get their boostrix vaccine.
Georgia Faessen, Hospital Midwife, says whooping cough is highly contagious and can cause serious harm to babies, especially those under six-weeks old, who are too young to be vaccinated.
“Immunisation is key to giving babies the best start in life and protects them from serious, preventable diseases.”
Health services across Aotearoa New Zealand, continue to respond to a nationwide whooping cough epidemic. Last year, one infant sadly died from whooping cough.
“We know that immunisations save lives,” Faessen says.
“So, our team is trying to make it as easy as possible for pregnant people to get vaccinated. Everyone who comes to clinic is now offered the boostrix vaccine which protects māmā and pēpi from whooping cough.”
The whooping cough pregnancy vaccine is free and best given from 16 weeks of pregnancy. The vaccine should also be given with each pregnancy to protect each baby.
Laura Beattie, Lead Maternity Carer and Hospital Midwife is seeing about 80 per cent uptake. In January 2025, 15 hāpu māmā were immunised at the clinic.
“Many appreciate that the vaccine is offered when they are referred to the clinic so that they can get it done on the spot.”
“We’re breaking down barriers, such as making time for another appointment and having money to fill up the car. It’s also a safe space to wait with other children in tow,” Beattie says.
The team also runs a drop-in immunisation clinic on a Thursday from 9.30am to 11.30am for all hāpu māma at the Antenatal Clinic at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, in the Cottage off Omahu Rd.
“We’re improving access to immunisations to help keep our little ones,” Beattie says.
As of January 2025, 86 per cent of children under five in Hawke’s Bay were immunised against whooping cough.
One of the Government’s five health targets is to improve childhood immunisation with the goal of having 95 per cent of New Zealand children fully immunised at 24 months of age. In Hawke’s Bay, childhood immunisation coverage was sitting at 76 per cent.
Most vaccines on the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule are free and are available at the following sites in Hawke's Bay. No doctor enrolment is necessary.
Visit info.health.nz/locations/hawkes-bay/hawkes-bay-immunisation-clinics
