But the region’s governing health body has moved to reassure the community those who most need the vaccine will be covered.

The bordetella pertussis vaccine has been made available for free to pregnant women since April last year.

Babies under six weeks’ old cannot be given the vaccine, so the focus has been to immunise their mothers before they give birth.

A Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) spokesperson said there was no shortage of the vaccine for those in high-priority groups, which include infants, children between four and 12 years old and pregnant women.

“NSW Health has been advised by vaccine manufacturers that a small amount of whooping cough vaccine has been released into the private market and that the overall private supply should improve within the next few months,” the spokesperson said.

There were more than 12,000 whooping cough notifications in NSW last year, which peaked in November with more than 2000 cases. The number has dropped in recent months.

Pregnant women are urged to vaccinate at 28 weeks. NSW Health provides free whooping cough vaccine to GPs and antenatal clinics for all pregnant women. 

All people in contact with infants should be vaccinated, and people with a cough should stay away from infants and pregnant women until they are checked by their GP.