There is a shortage of vaccine stocks in Australia used to prevent whooping cough, also know as pertussis, in adults, Queensland Health says.
Four-week-old Riley Hughes from Perth died from the disease last month.
However, Queensland Health senior medical officer Dr Alun Richards said immunisation programs for children and pregnant women would not be affected.
“The one product that is in short supply is not part of the formal national immunisation program, but is a booster dose that’s used generally by GPs for adults,” he said.
“We have sufficient stocks to vaccinate children as part of the school-based vaccination program.”
Dr Richards said the adult vaccine would not be available in Australia until July.
He said it was one particular international supplier that was having the shortage.
“I don’t know whether it’s because of increased demand in the world or if it’s another issue, but there are vaccination shortages from time to time,” he said.
“There are other preparations on the market [and] they’re not all in short supply.”
Dr Richards said adults needed to take extra precautions.
“Obviously anyone who has whooping cough can pass it onto other people at the time, and there have been local outbreaks,” he said.
“There have been individual cases, and then clusters obviously occur.
“This reinforces the importance of routine vaccination; it’s important to make sure that your children start their vaccination program on time.”
Pregnant women urged to get vaccinated
Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said in a statement the state used a different brand of the vaccine for the pregnancy program to the one in short supply.
“There is no issue at all for the state’s pregnant women and their babies,” she said.
“There may be some short-term shortages in the private sector in circumstances where patients are seeking immunisation outside the children’s program or the program that is in place to support pregnant women.”
“Pregnant women in their third trimester are encouraged to be vaccinated for pertussis due to updated recommendations in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.”
Responding to suggestions immunisations were being deferred by GPs, Dr Young said that would only be in cases where the vaccine was not time critical.
“These people can return when supplies are again available,” she said.
“People seeking a dose outside of the State Government’s childhood program, school program, or the program for pregnant women, should seek advice from their GP.
“If a GP cannot obtain vaccine for the patient at that time, the patient should discuss options with their GP, as the GP will be in the best place to determine what is necessary in their particular circumstances.”