Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough is an infectious disease caused by bacteria and is spread through the community by coughing and sneezing, in the same way as colds and influenza. Young children, especially babies under six months, can become very ill from whooping cough. Older children and adults get whooping cough too, which if not diagnosed and treated, may spread to young children.
What are the symptoms?
Whooping cough starts with a runny nose and dry cough. The cough gets worse over the next few weeks, often developing into very long coughing attacks. In babies and children these coughing attacks may end with a ‘whoop’ sound when breathing in, or end with vomiting.
What should be done to help prevent whooping cough?
Immunisation is the best prevention - Parents should ensure that their children are up to date with their free routine childhood immunisations which include the immunisations against whooping cough. Children are further protected with booster vaccinations at four years and 11 years of age.
Whooping cough immunisation is also recommended and free for women during pregnancy as this helps protect their baby from getting whooping cough when they are very young and before they can get their own routine immunisations starting at six weeks of age.
A free dose of Pertussis vaccine (which also covers Tetanus and Diphtheria) is recommended for adults at age 45 and 65 years.
Good hand hygiene is always beneficial, and it is important to remember to cover your cough and not to cough on, or near, babies.
If anyone has symptoms of whooping cough they should stay away from school and see their doctor for assessment and advice.
If a child or staff member is diagnosed with whooping cough by their GP they need to remain away from school until:
They have completed two days of the antibiotic Azithromycin, or
Five days of other appropriate antibiotics (including Erythromycin), or
Three weeks from onset of cough if no antibiotics given.
Further information on whooping cough and immunisation: