Handlers of children urged to get pertussis jab

PETALING JAYA: Expectant mothers and those who are in frequent close contact with children should be given a booster vaccine to prevent the spread of whooping cough, or pertussis, among children.

According to Malaysian Pae-diatric Association president Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam, despite the young ones having been vaccinated in their childhood, their immunity will wane when they reach adulthood, making them a potential “reservoir” of infection for children.