Vaccination and Compliance with Personal Hygiene Guidelines Essential
Yangsan City, Gyeongnam Province, recently urged citizens to actively cooperate with preventive vaccinations as the first domestic death from pertussis occurred amid a nationwide outbreak of the disease.
According to infectious disease statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as of November 27, there have been 37,355 reported cases of pertussis (physician-diagnosed) nationwide, the highest number in the past 10 years, with 157 cases reported in Yangsan City.
To prevent pertussis, children aged 2 months to 6 years should receive 1 to 5 doses of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine according to the national standard immunization schedule for children, followed by an additional DTaP booster vaccination at ages 11 to 12.
In particular, with the recent first pertussis death case in an infant under 2 months old, active protection is necessary for high-risk groups who are more likely to develop severe symptoms upon infection. Pregnant women in their third trimester (27 to 36 weeks) must be vaccinated to ensure that infants acquire immunity before their first vaccination at 2 months of age.
An official from the Yangsan City Public Health Center stated, “If symptoms suspected of pertussis such as coughing, fever, or runny nose occur, please promptly seek medical care.” They added, “We strongly recommend pertussis vaccination for pregnant women and their household members, and emphasize the importance of practicing preventive measures such as hand washing, proper cough etiquette, and wearing masks.”
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