There are fears of chaos at schools as children suspected of having whooping cough are to be excluded for up to three weeks in the ‘worst outbreak in 40 years’, prompting calls for scare ads to boost vaccine uptake

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a serious and highly contagious respiratory disease that infects the lungs and respiratory tract.

It is also called whooping cough and is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. After or between coughing fits, patients may gasp for air and produce the characteristic ‘whoop’ sound.

The disease is also called the ‘100-day cough’ because it can last six to twelve weeks.

It is most serious in babies under six months of age because it can cause breathing difficulties, dehydration, pneumonia and seizures.

It is generally less severe in older children and adults.

What are the symptoms?

Usually the first signs of whooping cough are similar to those of a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat, although a high temperature is unusual.

After about a week, coughing fits begin, lasting several minutes and becoming worse at night.

Many babies and younger children with whooping cough experience coughing fits and the associated whooping cough, but not all.

And sometimes babies don’t cough or yelp like older children, but may show signs of breathing difficulties.

The infection is generally milder in teens and adults than in infants and children, especially in those who have been vaccinated.

How does it spread?

Whooping cough is highly contagious and can be spread through small droplets of fluid from the nose or mouth of an infected person.

It can be spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs or laughs. Others can contract it by breathing in the droplets or getting the bacteria on their hands and then touching their mouth or nose.

Symptoms usually appear about 7 to 10 days after exposure. Symptoms can occur up to 21 days after a person is infected.

People are most contagious in the earliest stages and until about two weeks after the cough starts.

Why are cases increasing?

According to the UKHSA, more than 2,700 cases of whooping cough have been reported across the country so far in 2024, including 1,319 cases in March alone.

This compares to 858 cases throughout 2023.

Cases of whooping cough peak about every four years, but the pandemic saw a dramatic drop in the incidence of whooping cough and other respiratory infections due to the reduced mixing of people.

Professor Andrew Preston from the University of Bath’s Milner Center for Evolution said cases had increased since the end of restrictions and a peak year was expected to arrive soon.

Vaccination rates among infants have fallen from pre-pandemic levels, from more than 96 percent to just under 93 percent last year.

Similarly, maternal booster absorption dropped from 70 percent to less than 60 percent.

This has left many more young babies and infants susceptible to infections.

Who can get the shot?

The vaccine is routinely offered three times, including to women during pregnancy, because it can protect the baby during the first weeks of life.

Doctors suggest that the best time to get it is shortly after the 16th week of pregnancy.

The 6-in-1 vaccine is then offered to babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks old and a booster at 3 years and 4 months.

Older children and adults are not routinely vaccinated except during pregnancy or an outbreak of whooping cough.

My child has been vaccinated, can he still get whooping cough?

Yes. Vaccines are never 100 percent effective, but they provide the best defense against the disease.

As with the Covid jabs, even if they don’t stop your child from getting the disease, there’s a good chance the illness will be less severe.

People who are vaccinated not only reduce the overall severity, but are also likely to experience a cough for a shorter period of time.

Is whooping cough treatable?

Yes, although treatment depends on age and how long since you contracted the infection.

Children under 6 months of age who are very ill and those with severe symptoms are usually admitted to hospital for treatment.

People diagnosed during the first three weeks of the infection may be prescribed antibiotics to take at home.

These help prevent the infection from spreading to others but may not reduce symptoms.

Those who have whooping cough for more than three weeks normally do not need treatment as they are no longer contagious and antibiotics are unlikely to help.

If you have a fever, you should rest, drink plenty of fluids and take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Cough medicines are unlikely to be effective and are often not suitable for young children. Therefore, they should be avoided.

What should I do if I’m afraid my child has it?

First call your GP or NHS 111 and explain the symptoms.

They can then arrange for you or your child to come for examination and treatment.

If you or your child are taking antibiotics for whooping cough, you should be careful not to spread the infection to others.

The NHS advises those infected to stay away from nursery, school or work until two days after starting antibiotic treatment or, if not taking antibiotics, until three weeks from the start of coughing attacks.

When coughing or sneezing, children’s mouth and nose should be covered with a tissue and thrown away immediately.

Hands should be washed regularly with soap and water.

My child has not been vaccinated. Am I too late?

No. It is best to get vaccines on time, but up to the age of 10 they can still get whooping cough as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine.

Babies receive 3 doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination schedule at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.

They are also offered a 4-in-1 preschool booster, aged 3 years and 4 months. If your child has missed the 6-in-1 vaccinations, contact your doctor.