What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough (also known as ‘pertussis’) is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the lungs and airways, causing a person to cough violently and uncontrollably. It is especially serious for babies, but can affect people at any age.

 

Who should get the whooping cough vaccination?

The whooping cough immunisation is particularly recommended for:

• Children aged 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 18 months, four years, and between 10 and 15 years (at school), under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
• Pregnant women in the third trimester, ideally between weeks 20 and 32 of every pregnancy

• Adult household contacts and carers of babies under 6 months old
• Healthcare workers and people working in early childhood education/care that have not had a whooping cough vaccine in the past 10 years
• People who are travelling overseas, if they haven’t had a whooping cough vaccine in the past 10 years
• People aged 50 years, at the same time as they get their recommended tetanus and diphtheria vaccine
• People aged 65 or over, if they have not had a whooping cough vaccine in the past 10 years.

 

Is the whooping cough vaccination safe in pregnancy?

The whooping cough vaccine is safe in pregnancy. A combination vaccine, dTpa (diptheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis) is recommended as a single dose between 2^nd trimester and early 3^rd trimester of each pregnancy (ideally at 20-32 weeks).

 

Whooping Cough References

• https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/handbook-tables/table-vaccines-that-are-routinely-recommended-in-pregnancy-inactivated
• https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/whooping-cough-pertussis
• https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation/immunisation-services/whooping-cough-pertussis-immunisation-service-0
• https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/immunisation/adults/nip-and-state-funded-vaccines/nip-state-funded-vaccines-for-eligible-vic-adults