1
00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,840
Speaker 1: Territorians are being urged and encouraged to roll up their

2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,840
Speaker 1: sleeves and get vaccinated against hooping cough as those case

3
00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,600
Speaker 1: numbers rise across the country. The NT has recorded two

4
00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,120
Speaker 1: cases so far this year, both in the last fortnight.

5
00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,279
Speaker 1: Now joining us on the line to tell us a

6
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,560
Speaker 1: little bit more is NT Health Center for Disease Control

7
00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,880
Speaker 1: Medical advisor doctor Rosalind Webby. Good morning to you, Good morning, Katie,

8
00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,240
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning, doctor Webby.

9
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,960
Speaker 1: Can you firstly explain to us what hooping cough is

10
00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,000
Speaker 1: and just how serious it is?

11
00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,839
Speaker 2: Yeah? Sure, So It's a bacteria that is spread by

12
00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,400
Speaker 2: coughing and sneezing, and it stunds usually like a bit

13
00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,000
Speaker 2: of a cold, so most people get a bit of

14
00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,120
Speaker 2: a block nose, running nose, sneezing, bit of a fever,

15
00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,800
Speaker 2: and then the cough gets worse and you can get

16
00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:57,320
Speaker 2: quite severe bouts of uncontrolled coughing, so to the point

17
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,200
Speaker 2: that you might feel like vomiting or choking, and you

18
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,080
Speaker 2: can sometimes get that sort of hooping sound, which is

19
00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,440
Speaker 2: basically what the name refers to, and that cost can

20
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,920
Speaker 2: be ongoing for many many weeks and can be sometimes

21
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,800
Speaker 2: worse at night. So older adults and children can you know,

22
00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,280
Speaker 2: sometimes not be that unwell but get this prolonged coughing.

23
00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,240
Speaker 2: But the people that we really worry about our young babies.

24
00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,119
Speaker 2: So it's most serious in our very young and they

25
00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,840
Speaker 2: can get sort of life threatening illness and basically get

26
00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,640
Speaker 2: a really severe problem with difficulty breathing to the point

27
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,039
Speaker 2: that they basically can't breathe, get severe chest infection, and

28
00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,040
Speaker 2: can even have fits and brain damage with the breathing

29
00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,440
Speaker 2: problems as well. So they're the ones that we know

30
00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,039
Speaker 2: are very very worried about, and the ones that we

31
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:52,640
Speaker 2: particularly want to make sure are protected with vaccination. We

32
00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,520
Speaker 2: know that basically you can there is a good vaccine.

33
00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,800
Speaker 2: So basically if kids, if mums are vaccinated in pregnancy

34
00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,520
Speaker 2: from twenty weeks, it actually gives some protection to the

35
00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,760
Speaker 2: baby when it's born, so it's actually born with some

36
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,839
Speaker 2: antibodies against hooping cough, which is amazing and really great,

37
00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:16,040
Speaker 2: and then that sort of disappears with time, and then

38
00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,000
Speaker 2: the baby gets its own vaccine, so they can start

39
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,200
Speaker 2: to be vaccinated from six weeks and then there's a

40
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,519
Speaker 2: series of vaccinations as a child, and it's really important

41
00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,280
Speaker 2: that they get those on time, because it's sort of

42
00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,320
Speaker 2: that critical window if you get if the babies get

43
00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,040
Speaker 2: sick in basically in that first couple of months of

44
00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,600
Speaker 2: their life. So that's really I both. We're just reminding

45
00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,560
Speaker 2: people that, you know, we haven't had a lot of

46
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,480
Speaker 2: hooping cough in the last few years, and it generally

47
00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,440
Speaker 2: is a disease that comes in in cycles, so usually

48
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,399
Speaker 2: every five years we get more cases, and currently they're

49
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,520
Speaker 2: seeing a lot of cases down in the Southern States

50
00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,520
Speaker 2: and that generally means the NT will be next. So

51
00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,760
Speaker 2: we just really want to make sure that people vaccinated

52
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,639
Speaker 2: on time. Kids can get it. Obviously, the infants get

53
00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,560
Speaker 2: a series of vaccines under five, but there's also a

54
00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,840
Speaker 2: vaccine for kids at school when they're aged twelve or

55
00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,840
Speaker 2: in year seven, so really important that the school kids

56
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,240
Speaker 2: also get that vaccine and they can catch it up

57
00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,440
Speaker 2: so if for whatever reason they missed that vaccine at school,

58
00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,400
Speaker 2: they can catch that vaccine up until they're nineteen, so

59
00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,480
Speaker 2: they can go to their health professional or some pharmacies

60
00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,919
Speaker 2: now also are providing this particular vaccine as well.

61
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,640
Speaker 1: Doctor Webby tell me two cases recorded in the Northern

62
00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,120
Speaker 1: Territory were they were those cases in children.

63
00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,200
Speaker 2: No, they were in adults, but it doesn't mean they

64
00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,560
Speaker 2: weren't in babies, so that's good. We haven't yet had

65
00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,320
Speaker 2: any cases in babies, and that's what we want to

66
00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,200
Speaker 2: make sure that we protect against. So that's why I thought,

67
00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,200
Speaker 2: it's just that timely reminder we've seen in other countries

68
00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,560
Speaker 2: when we start getting some cases, then we can unfortunately

69
00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,000
Speaker 2: get it in some of our little cage kids as well. Well.

70
00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,160
Speaker 1: It seems to happen as well, doesn't it Like if

71
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,920
Speaker 1: something's going around in the other states. Unfortunately, it does

72
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,800
Speaker 1: seem to spread or you know, you end up seeing

73
00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,640
Speaker 1: a few cases in the territory. It sounds, you know,

74
00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,000
Speaker 1: from what you're saying to me, And I had sort

75
00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,880
Speaker 1: of thought this based on my memory of even my

76
00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,800
Speaker 1: children being vaccinated when they're babies, and and you know,

77
00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,800
Speaker 1: keeping up to date with the vaccination you know, requirements.

78
00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,520
Speaker 1: It does seem as though most people would already be vaccinated,

79
00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:32,840
Speaker 1: is that right, Yeah.

80
00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,080
Speaker 2: Most people will have had the vaccine as a child,

81
00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,240
Speaker 2: but it does actually wane with time, so adults can

82
00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,200
Speaker 2: get a booster. It's actually not on the funded program

83
00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,440
Speaker 2: for adults unless you're pregnant obviously, but basically if you

84
00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,400
Speaker 2: haven't had a vaccine in the last ten years. It

85
00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,840
Speaker 2: actually comes as a combination vaccine with theory and technics,

86
00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,400
Speaker 2: so that's actually good to have that as an update anyway,

87
00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,920
Speaker 2: so other adults can be vaccinated, particularly if you haven't

88
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,760
Speaker 2: I had one for a while. You can go to

89
00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,279
Speaker 2: your health professional pharmacy and purchase that vaccine. It's generally

90
00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,800
Speaker 2: it ranges in price but sort of between forty and

91
00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,880
Speaker 2: seventy dollars and not a very expensive vaccine. And as

92
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,119
Speaker 2: I said, it does protect you against technics and theory

93
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,760
Speaker 2: as well, and particularly if you're traveling or going out

94
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,159
Speaker 2: bush somewhere, it's probably a good vaccine just to check

95
00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,359
Speaker 2: when you last had one, and you can get that

96
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,919
Speaker 2: update which will protect you because adults can, particularly older

97
00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:30,320
Speaker 2: adults sometimes with that prolonged coughing, people actually can cough

98
00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,960
Speaker 2: so much that they can fracture their ribs or strange

99
00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,120
Speaker 2: their chest muscles. So it's not an insignificant disease even

100
00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:38,160
Speaker 2: in older adults.

101
00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,880
Speaker 1: And Rosslyn, is it important you know, if one of

102
00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,680
Speaker 1: your friends or family members just had a newborn baby,

103
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,680
Speaker 1: is it important if you're going to see them that

104
00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,520
Speaker 1: you're vaccinated against hooping cough too.

105
00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:55,039
Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's a good recommendation. But obviously hopefully the

106
00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,599
Speaker 2: mum's been vaccinated and given that child some antibody so

107
00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,880
Speaker 2: it's protected itself. But it's a really good idea if

108
00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:06,200
Speaker 2: you are, you know, working with young children or someone

109
00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,039
Speaker 2: you know has had a young child, just to check

110
00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,600
Speaker 2: with you had a vaccine and that's a great idea.

111
00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,440
Speaker 2: The other thing, obviously too is if you are unwell,

112
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,359
Speaker 2: if you've got some sort of coughing illness that keeps going,

113
00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,320
Speaker 2: it is there are some antibiotics that you can get

114
00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,880
Speaker 2: to you know, stop the infection. So it's probably a

115
00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,560
Speaker 2: good idea to you know, go along to your health

116
00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,360
Speaker 2: professional and just get a test and somatibotics.

117
00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,200
Speaker 1: This need be well NT Health Center for Disease Controlled

118
00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,960
Speaker 1: Medical Advisor, Doctor Rosalind Webby. I always appreciate you coming

119
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,000
Speaker 1: on the show. Thanks so much for having a chat

120
00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:37,520
Speaker 1: this morning.

121
00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,279
Speaker 2: Thanks very much, Katie, Thank you