The graph shows the impact of vaccinations on the incidence of whooping cough, a childhood illness, between 1940 and 1990 in Britain. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The graph illustrates the number of reported

cases

of whooping cough from 1940 to the early 2010s. An immediate downward trend in

cases

is evident, despite occasional spikes during certain periods. In 1940, reported

cases

surged to just over 170,000 per year, before dropping to nearly 60,000

cases

five years later. Following the end of World War II, the number of

cases

rebounded to levels similar to those at the start of the period under review.

However

, with the introduction of vaccinations in the mid-1950s, reported

cases

began to plummet significantly. Over the next two decades,

this

prevention program ensured that the incidence of whooping cough reached a record low in the 1970s. As vaccinations started to decrease

after

this

period, there was another rise in

cases

during the 1980s.

This

was followed by a steady decline as the vaccination program was reintroduced in the late 20th century. Near the end of the observed period, we see a record low in reported

cases

, coinciding with the highest rate of vaccination since its initial introduction.