We are alarmed by the number of whooping cough cases, Deputy Health Minister Marek Kos admitted on Friday. This week, the Chief Sanitary Inspector presented solutions, included in the "anti-pertussis package," regarding, among other things, vaccination of adults. Analysis is underway, Kos said, and decisions will have to wait.
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Published Dec. 24, 2024 08:02
The number of whooping cough cases on an annual basis has increased 20-30 times: while last year it was less than a thousand, this year, by the end of September alone, it was more than 20,000. And this, as experienced doctors say, is the tip of the iceberg, because what is currently missing is the introduction of the possibility of diagnosing the disease to PCPs (this, by the way, is one of the solutions of the package that Dr. Pawel Grzesiowski, Chief Sanitary Inspector, included in the "anti-pertussis package").
In the fight against the whooping cough epidemic, immunization is most useful. Although the most severe course of the disease affects the youngest (especially unvaccinated) children, adults should also be vaccinated, because immunity to pertussis expires about ten years after the last dose. Vaccination is recommended, but not reimbursed - except for pregnant women, who have had the opportunity to be vaccinated free of charge since October. GIS would like the Health Minister to consider funding the vaccinations for certain groups. It also calls for the vaccination to be made available to pharmacies, which would simplify access, and therefore the decision, for many people to get vaccinated - even if they have to pay for it.
As Marek Kos said, the Health Ministry recognizes the seriousness of the situation, but no decisions have been made yet at the moment. - We are analyzing the situation together with the Department of Public Health," he said at Friday's press conference dedicated to the announcement of the National List of Critical Medicines.
