18 Mar 2019
Keep coughing kids home and see your GP.
Whooping cough (also called pertussis) began increasing across NSW towards the end of 2018, especially in children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. NSW Health anticipates that this increase will continue into 2019.
School-aged children who are infected with whooping cough usually experience a troubling cough that can persist for months, but they rarely get severe illness. However they can spread the infection to younger siblings and other more vulnerable people, who are at higher risk of severe disease. Whooping cough can be a life threatening infection in babies.
What can you do to prevent whooping cough?
1. Make sure vaccinations are up to date for all family members
2. Be alert for symptoms of whooping cough
3. Keep coughing kids home, to prevent them spreading the infection to others, and see your GP to get them tested for whooping cough
For more information on Whooping Cough and vaccination visit the NSW Health Website (https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/whoopingcough/Pages/default.aspx)