Whooping cough on the rise

Public health officials are urging Canadians to check that their vaccinations against whooping cough are up to date.

While Ontario hasn’t had a huge year for the disease, British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick are reporting a higher-than-normal number of cases.

Experts say there seems to be a cyclical rise in the disease every few years.  Most of the people affected hadn’t been fully vaccinated.

A newer version of the vaccine with fewer side-effects in use since 1997 has been found to be less effective over time, prompting Ontario to now offer adults a one-time booster.

Children and teens get the whooping cough vaccine included with their tetanus shots.