Corporate Health Program 2026

Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is a contagious respiratory infection that causes severe, uncontrollable coughing that can make it hard to breathe. Whooping cough gets its name from the high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound that is made when taking a breath in, although this sound is not always obvious. 

Around 64% of notified cases occur during spring and summer, and Australia experiences an epidemic of whooping cough every three to four years. 

Whooping cough can affect people of all ages but it is most serious for infants under the age of 12 months, as they have soft airways that can be damaged by violent bouts of coughing.

One in every 200 babies who are infected with whooping cough under the age of six months dies from the condition. 

Whooping cough is caused by the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis which is spread from person to person through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Someone with whooping cough is infectious for the first 21 days of their cough, or until they have had five days of a 10-day course of antibiotics.

Even if you have been vaccinated against whooping cough, you can still be infected. However, your symptoms are likely to be less severe than someone who is not vaccinated.

The whooping cough vaccination is an inactivated vaccine that is given as a series of shots to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. 

Diphtheria and pertussis spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds. 

DIPHTHERIA (d) can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death. 

TETANUS (T) causes painful stiffening of the muscles. Tetanus can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death. 

PERTUSSIS (pa), also known as “whooping cough,” can cause uncontrollable, coughing that makes it hard to breathe. Pertussis can be extremely serious especially in babies and young children, causing pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, or death.22

Whooping cough vaccination is recommended for children at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months of age, and then again at four years. Adolescents should receive a booster dose between the ages of 11 and 13, and adults should have a booster at ages 50 and 65 years and over. 

Pregnant women should receive a whooping cough vaccination in each pregnancy to help protect their baby.21 

For adults however, you should ensure you have had a vaccination every 10 years. If you haven’t had a whooping cough vaccination in the last ten years, your protection against infection will be reduced.

If you haven’t had a vaccination in the past 10 years, it is recommended to stay up to date. If you are unsure when you had your last vaccination, ask your Pharmacist or GP.

Doing this will help boost your defense and help protect the young ones in your circle of family and friends.

There are two stages of whooping cough.

The first lot of symptoms can last for one to two weeks and are similar to those of a common cold. They may include:

• runny or blocked nose
• sneezing
• irritated or sore throat
• dry cough
• watery eyes
• feeling generally unwell
• slightly raised temperature

The second stage (also called the paroxysmal stage) is where intense bouts of coughing (paroxysms) begin. Coughing bouts can last between one and two minutes, but sometimes there may be several bouts in quick succession lasting several minutes. Coughing is usually worse at night. This phase usually lasts for around two weeks, although it can last as long as 10 weeks, even after treatment, as the cough may remain after the bacteria has been eliminated.

Symptoms may involve :

• intense coughing that produces phlegm
• a ‘whoop’ sound with every intake of breath, although this may not happen for everyone
• vomiting after coughing, especially in infants and young children
• fainting after coughing
• coughing so violently that it can break a rib

Whooping cough can affect anyone. However, those who are most at risk of catching the infection are :

• babies under six months (this is because babies don’t complete their primary course of vaccination against whooping cough until they are six months old). enough to be fully vaccinated
• people living with someone who is infected
• pregnant or breastfeeding women
• people who travel
• healthcare workers and early childhood educators
• those who have not had a whooping cough booster within the last 10 years
• people over 65 years of age who have not had a booster within the past 10 years

Diagnosing whooping cough involves a physical examination by a doctor. Blood tests or swabs of mucous from the back of the nose or throat may also be used to confirm the diagnosis.

If whooping cough is diagnosed in the first few weeks, treatment may involve a course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading further. If a diagnosis is made during the later stages, antibiotics may not be prescribed as the bacteria causing the infection will most likely have gone by this stage.

If the infection is caught early, other members of the household may also be prescribed antibiotics as a precautionary measure, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Sometimes it may be necessary to go to hospital for treatment. As whooping cough in infants under six months can be life-threatening, they are almost always treated in hospital. Treatment may involve intravenous antibiotics, or oxygen to assist with breathing.

To prevent the spread of whooping cough to other people, you should:

• stay at home to prevent the spread of infection while you are infectious
• cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze
• wash your hands often

Whooping cough can have some serious complications, particularly in infants under six months of age. Serious complications may include:

• brain damage
• pneumonia
• seizures
• bleeding on the brain
• slowed or stopped breathing
• convulsions

Complications for older children and adults may involve:

• sleeping difficulties
• urinary incontinence
• pneumonia
• broken ribs, caused by the coughing

Whooping cough can also be fatal, especially for babies.

You should visit your doctor if you think you or your child has whooping cough or has been exposed to someone with the infection, even if you or your child are fully vaccinated.

If someone in your household is struggling to breathe or their lips begin to turn blue, call an ambulance (000) immediately.

The best way to prevent whooping cough is to be vaccinated. While it is still possible to catch the disease, symptoms are usually less severe.

Vaccination against whooping cough is recommended as part of routine childhood immunisation and is usually given in six doses at the ages of:

• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 18 months
• four years
• between 11 and 13 years of age

Vaccines are often given in combination with other vaccines, as part of the National Immunisation Program.

It is also recommended that some people receive a booster shot every 10 years. These include:

• early childcare workers educators
• healthcare workers
• pregnant women (from 20 weeks gestation), in every pregnancy
• family members, including grandparents, of infants under six months of age
• all adults 65 years and older
• people who travel
• people who have had whooping cough in the past
• anyone who wants to reduce their likelihood of becoming ill with the disease

It’s recommended that pregnant women receive a single dose of pertussis vaccine in each pregnancy, as this reduces the risk of whooping cough in infants by 90%. The optimal time for vaccination is between 20 and 32 weeks gestation (mid second trimester to early third trimester).