Whooping cough

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that affects your lungs. Find out about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of whooping cough. We also have advice on how to prevent whooping cough. 

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What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a bacterial infection in your lungs. A bacterial infection happens when bacteria enter and spread through your body. Whooping cough is usually caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.  

It’s called whooping cough because you might make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughing.  

How common is whooping cough?

The number of cases of whooping cough goes up and down but usually reach their highest point every three to five years. This means that every few years, more people will get whooping cough than usual.  

You can get whooping cough at any age, but it can be especially dangerous for babies and young children. The best way to protect yourself and your baby from whooping cough is to get vaccinated. 

Symptoms of whooping cough

The first signs of whooping cough are like a cold. At first, you or your child may have a sore throat, runny nose or mild cough.  

After one or two weeks, you or your child may: 

  • have coughing fits that last for a few minutes and are worse at night

  • make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs. Young babies and adults often do not make a whooping noise.  

  • find it difficult to breathe after a coughing fit. Young infants may turn blue or grey. On black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of their hands or the soles of their feet. 

  • cough up a thick phlegm (mucus). This can sometimes make you vomit. 

  • become very red in the face. 

Book an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

  • your baby is under six months old and has symptoms of whooping cough

  • you or your child have a very bad cough that is getting worse

  • you’re pregnant and have been in contact with someone with whooping cough. 

If your baby is under 12 months, they’ve a higher chance of getting problems such as: 

It’s unusual for older children and adults to have severe symptoms. But, your coughing fits may cause problems like: 

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

  • you or your child’s lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue or grey (on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet)

  • you or your child are finding it hard to breathe properly

  • you or your child have chest pain that’s worse when breathing or coughing. This could be a sign of pneumonia

  • your child is having seizures (fits).

How is whooping cough diagnosed?

Usually, your GP will ask about your symptoms and listen to your chest. It can help to record your cough on your phone before your appointment so your GP can listen to it. 

Sometimes you may need medical tests to help your healthcare professional confirm your diagnosis:  

Test you might need Why?
A swab of your nose or throat To see if the bacteria, which causes whooping cough, is in your phlegm.  
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test This is another type of test to see if there is whooping cough bacteria in your phlegm.
Blood tests To see if you have antibodies for whooping cough in your blood. Antibodies are a type of protein made by your body to fight infections.  

Tell your healthcare professional:

If you or your child have been in contact with someone who has whooping cough in the past 21 days. This can help them to diagnose you.

How is whooping cough treated?

Treatment for whooping cough depends on your symptoms and age.  

Usually you will be prescribed antibiotics if your cough started within two weeks of your diagnosis. Normally you’ll have to take these for seven days. If you’re given antibiotics within two weeks of when you started to cough, you’ll be contagious for less time. 

It’s important to finish your course of antibiotics, even if you start to feel better. This is to prevent your infection from coming back. 

Children aged six months or younger are usually treated in hospital as they’re at a higher risk of severe illness.  

If you or your child have serious symptoms like breathing difficulties, you will also be treated in hospital. 

Managing whooping cough at home

If you’re prescribed antibiotics to take at home, you may still have a cough for several weeks afterwards. There are some things you can do to help manage your cough: 

Do

  • rest
  • drink lots of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated
  • take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you or your child are uncomfortable. Give children’s paracetamol or children’s ibuprofen to your child. Check if ibuprofen is suitable for you before taking it
  • talk to your healthcare professional or call 111 if you’re worried about you or your child’s symptoms. 

Do not

  • give aspirin to children under the age of 16 years. 

Is whooping cough contagious?

Whooping cough spreads very easily. This is because when someone coughs, they release tiny droplets into the air. If you or your child have whooping cough and are not having treatment, you can be contagious for up to three weeks after you start coughing. 

When to stay at home

If you or your child have whooping cough or have been in contact with someone who has it, you may need to stay at home to avoid spreading your infection to other people.  

Your child should not go to nursery or school until they've been taking antibiotics for 48 hours, or for 14 days from when they first started coughing. 

If you work in a childcare or healthcare setting, you should not return to work until you’ve been taking antibiotics for 48 hours, or for 21 days from when you first started coughing. 

Close contacts

If you or your child are diagnosed with whooping cough, your healthcare professional may ask you about your close contacts. This will usually be your family members or the people you live with.  

They may be given antibiotics and a vaccination to protect them from getting ill. This includes babies from birth to one year old who are not fully vaccinated for whooping cough, and people who are more likely to pass whooping cough on to babies and young children. For example, pregnant women, healthcare workers and nursery staff.  

Close contacts do not usually need to stay off work or school if they do not have any symptoms. 

How can I prevent whooping cough?

Vaccination

Vaccination is the main way to prevent whooping cough. The whooping cough vaccine is available for pregnant women and young children.  

It’s important for you to have the whooping cough vaccine if you’re pregnant as the protection it gives you will pass to your baby in the womb. This means they will be protected in the first few weeks after they are born, until they're able to get their first vaccinations.

Getting the whooping cough vaccine while pregnant protects around 9 in 10 babies. If your baby does catch whooping cough after they are born, it will be much less severe if you’ve been vaccinated. 

If you get the whooping cough vaccine when you’re pregnant, it also means that you benefit from protection against whooping cough. So, you’re less likely to catch it and pass it on to your baby. 

When will I have the whooping cough vaccine? 

If you’re pregnant, you’ll usually have the whooping cough vaccine around the time of your 20 week scan. But you can have it at any time from 16 weeks. 

To give your baby the best protection, it’s best to get vaccinated before 32 weeks of pregnancy. You can still have the vaccine up to 38 weeks, but it may be less effective the closer you get to your baby’s due date. 

You can get the vaccine at your GP surgery. Some antenatal clinics also offer it. Ask your midwife or GP about the whooping cough vaccine and other pregnancy vaccines at your first midwife appointment (booking appointment). 

It’s unusual for older children or adults who are not pregnant to be given the whooping cough vaccine. But you may be offered one if there is a sudden rise in whooping cough cases, or you’re a healthcare professional who works with newborn babies.

When will my baby have the whooping cough vaccine? 

Once your baby has been born, they will have their vaccinations against whooping cough and other serious illnesses at 8, 12 and 16 weeks old. Your child will be given a booster at three years and four months. 

Ask about your baby’s vaccinations at your six-week postnatal check. You can find out more about your baby’s vaccinations as part of the NHS vaccination programme on the NHS website. 

If you think your baby has missed any of their vaccinations, speak to your GP. 

Is the whooping cough vaccine safe?

The whooping cough vaccine is safe for you to have if you’re pregnant. Studies have shown that the vaccine does not cause any risks to your pregnancy or baby.  

The whooping cough vaccine is not a “live” vaccine. This means it does not contain whooping cough bacteria, so it cannot cause whooping cough in you or your baby.

Does the whooping cough vaccine have any side effects?  

The whooping cough vaccine is safe and effective. Some people may get mild side effects and should only last for a few days. 

You may have: 

  • swelling or redness where the vaccine was injected into your arm 

  • a high temperature of 38˚C or above (fever)

  • nausea (feeling sick)

  • loss of appetite

  • tiredness

  • headache. 

Try to rest and take paracetamol, if you can, to manage side effects. 

Good hygiene 

Whooping cough spreads easily through coughing and sneezing. To help prevent catching and spreading it, you should: 

  • wash your hands with warm water and soap regularly

  • clean the most used surfaces in your home, such as door handles, keyboards and screens

  • cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Try to use disposable tissues and throw them in the bin as soon as you or your child has used them. You can also cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow. 

Get support

Call our helpline for support with your condition. Get advice on your medicines, symptoms or travelling with a lung condition, or just call us to say hello.

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