Community providers rally to protect hapū māma and pēpi as national whooping cough case numbers surpass 1,000 for 2024

Hapū māmā are being urged to get immunised, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to get their babies immunised on time, as whooping cough case numbers continue to climb across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Health agencies declared a national whooping cough epidemic last Friday after monitoring the past few weeks of consistently high case numbers, hospitalisations and unlinked outbreaks occurring.

The latest figures from ESR show 77 cases were reported across the motu last week, which includes four hospitalised cases, of which three were under the age of one.

“That brings the total number of whooping cough cases for 2024 to 1,009,” Dr Matt Reid, Public Health Medicine Specialist, National Public Health Service said.

“Of those 1,009 cases this year, 63 were under 12 months old. Given almost three quarters (46) of those 63 were hospitalised, it’s incredibly important that we do all we can to get our hapū māmā immunised.

“Newborn babies aged under 6 weeks are particularly vulnerable, with Māori and Pacific babies at high risk from whooping cough,” Dr Reid said.

“By getting immunised when you’re pregnant, you will protect your pēpi until they can have their first immunisations when they are 6 weeks old. This is because your immunity will pass to your baby through the placenta.”

Health NZ visited a south Auckland Pacific maternity clinic and a Māori hapū wānanga in Hamilton last week. The short videos linked below from each visit can be accessed and shared further from our Health NZ vimeo channel.

At Niu Life in Papatoetoe on Wednesday (November 20), a number of hapū māmā and new mothers with six-week-old pēpi came along for health checks and immunisations.

“It’s great to see a lot of mamas coming in, bringing in their infants, their child[ren] and also themselves, especially those who are pregnant and unaware that they can also get the boostrix vaccine every pregnancy,” Hercules Tekeu, Registered Nurse, Pacific Health Regional Coordination Hub, said.

At a hapū wānanga held at Kirikiroa Marae in Hamilton on Friday (November 22), five hapū māmā came along to learn about safe sleeping and to weave their own traditional moenga pēpi.

Hapū wānanga facilitator Vaialasa Tolovae said the immunisation kaupapa fits in really well with this wananga.

“Because it’s all about protecting our pēpi, protecting whakapapa, protecting tamariki.”

Te Ngaakau-aa-Kiwa Charitable Trust Clinical Director, Tererewai Kipa-Kearns offered the Boostrix vaccine to the group, some of whom took up the opportunity.

A father-to-be who got immunised at the hāpū wananga said whooping cough is probably one of the most terrible things for a baby to get.

“So if I can take care of myself and make sure I’m protected then baby will be protected too.”

Free whooping cough vaccines are available to everyone aged 18 and under and to some adults, who are eligible for the combined pertussis and tetanus vaccine from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and can also get one free from age 65.

Free vaccines can be given at your GP, Hauora Māori or Pacific health service, or at some pharmacies.

To book, or for more information, call the Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26, 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday or visit info.health.nz/bookavaccine

Some community pop-up clinics and immunisation events happening in the Northern region this week include:

Friday 29 November:

• MOKO van

Whakawhiti Ora Pai, 6295 Far North Road, Te Kao
1 – 4pm

• Whangarei B4School Check

16 Commerce Street, Whangārei
9am – 3.15pm

Saturday 30 November:

• Wesley Community Health Expo

Wesley Community Centre, 740 Sandringham Rd EXT. Mt Roskill
11.00 am – 2.00pm

• Mangere Immunisation Day event

2/32 Canning Crescent, Mangere
9am – 1pm

Sunday, 1 December:

• Te Hapua Sports Club

2 Te Hapua Road, Te Hapua
12-4pm

Offering free health checks, breast screening, lung cancer risk screening, immunisations, and fun for Tamariki, including Bouncy castle, Zorb balls, talent quest, face painting, photo booth, hangi, kai available with loads of fun).

Tuesday 3 – 4 December:

• Whangārei B4School Checks

16 Commerce Street, Whangārei
9am – 3.15pm

Thursday 5 December:

• Whangārei Immunisation Clinic

16 Commerce Street, Whangārei
8.30am – 4pm

In addition, people can also visit all the following pharmacies and healthcare providers within the metro-Auckland region. To find more immunisation services near you visit Healthpoint.

Central Auckland

• Woolworths Pharmacy Mt Eden

Address: 118-120 Valley Road, Mount Eden
Phone: 09 255 9785
Hours:
Monday: 9.00 AM – 8.00 PM
Tuesday: 2.00 PM – 8.00 PM
Wednesday: 9.00 AM – 3.00 PM
Thursday: 3.00 PM – 8.00 PM

East Auckland

• Unichem Pakuranga

Address: 11-13 Cortina Place, Pakuranga
Phone: 09 577 1237
Hours: Mondays 9.00 AM – 5.30 PM

North Auckland

• Chemist Warehouse Wairau Valley

231 Archers Road, Wairau Valley
Wednesdays 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM

South Auckland

• Papakura Marae Wellness Hub

Address: 29 Hunua Road, Papakura
Phone: 0800 Tamariki
Hours:
Monday – Tuesday: 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM
Wednesday: 9.00 AM – 3.00 PM
Thursday – Friday: 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM

• Papakura Primary Birthing Unit

Address: 2-4 Clevedon Road, Papakura
Phone: 0800 Tamariki
Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 9.30 AM – 3.00 PM

• Niu Life Midwives

Address: 89 Great South Road, Papatoetoe
Phone: 0800 806 077
Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 9.00 AM – 3.00 PM