GPs are urging patients to wear face masks after rise in whooping cough cases
Patients have been asked by some GP surgeries to wear face masks after a rise in whooping cough cases.
The Covid-style measures have returned after the death of five babies from whooping cough this year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed.
This is the highest number of deaths recorded from whooping cough in more than a decade.
Around 3,000 cases have been confirmed so far and officials are worried about the spread.
A GP practice has asked its patients to wait outside before being called to appointments.
Parkside Family Practice in Reading, Berkshire, told all patients they must wear a mask again.
In a statement on its website, it says: ‘For infection control purposes, please do wear a face mask when coming to our surgery.’
Meanwhile, the Parkview Surgery in Uxbridge has told patients: ‘If you have a face to face appointment, the doctors ask that you wear a face mask to your appointment.’
And West Hampstead Medical Centre in London emailed patients and said there has been a ‘local upsurge in measles and whooping cough’.
It said: ‘If you have a cough, please wear a mask in the practice,’ adding anyone with symptoms should book a telephone call but be ‘available to attend in person within 30 minutes’.
People should then ‘notify the reception you have arrived but wait outside to be called in when your appointment starts’.
Patients who have symptoms of a respiratory infection are asked to wear a mask at Weardale Practice in Stanhope, Bishop Auckland, when attending an appointment.
NHS England updated its infection control guidance to advise about wearing a mask when appropriate.
The guidance says ‘if possible or tolerated the patient should wear a surgical face mask in communal areas’ to avoid spreading the highly contagious diseases to others.
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough, officially known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
The infection can lead to a prolonged cough – hence why it’s often called the ‘100-day cough’.
In children, the illness causes them to make the characteristic ‘whoop’ sound – caused by a gasp for breath – that makes it easily identifiable.
It can cause youngsters to stop breathing or have seizures. Young infants may turn blue or grey after a coughing bout.
In adults, pertussis can seem like just another persistent cough, with the symptoms lasting for 10 weeks or more.
Cases usually start with a runny nose or sore throat before after a week becoming minutes-long coughing fits.
People may also experience breathing difficulties, become red in the face or bring up thick mucus from coughing which can lead to vomiting.
People diagnosed with the illness are advised to stay at home and not go to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after starting antibiotics or three weeks after symptoms start.
Is whooping cough contagious to adults?
Whooping cough is very infectious.
As as soon as they get cold-like symptoms, a person can spread the bacteria Bordetella pertussis easily to others.
Depending on infection rates in certain areas this decision rests with local healthcare providers.
Whooping cough, also known as 100-day cough, is as contagious as measles and more so than Covid-19.
Those at most risk include babies and young children.
Those who are pregnant are urged to have the whooping cough vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks so they can pass the protection on to their children.
Experts believe an increase in cases is due to a decrease in the number of people having the vaccine.
There were 2,793 confirmed cases of whooping cough cases in England between January and March, according to health officials.
This is more than triple the amount recorded last year, with 858 cases.
There were 1,319 cases reported in March alone
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