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About Whooping Cough
What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a highly contagious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Infected babies may struggle to breathe, while teens and adults usually have mild symptoms that seem like the common cold. The disease is spread through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing.
How serious is whooping cough?
Whooping cough is very serious, especially for babies and young kids. Whooping cough can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and death. Babies younger than one year of age who get whooping cough may be hospitalized or even die.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
The symptoms of whooping cough are different depending on your age. Babies and young kids can have severe coughing spells that make it hard to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. Some babies may turn blue because they can't catch their breath. They may not cough at all but have life-threatening pauses in their breathing.
Older kids and adults may only have a runny nose and low fever, followed by a persistent cough that can last for several weeks or months and is often worse at night.
The name "whooping cough" comes from the sound many babies and kids make when trying to get air after a coughing spell. It is important to know that not everyone with whooping cough makes the "whoop" sound.
The best way to know if you have whooping cough is to see your doctor, nurse, or clinician. To avoid spreading whooping cough to others, make sure to call your health care provider first and see if they have special instructions for your arrival.
How soon do symptoms appear?
Symptoms usually start 5 to 21 days after exposure to whooping cough. Symptoms most commonly appear 7 to 10 days after exposure.
How is whooping cough treated?
Whooping cough is generally treated with antibiotics. It's important to start treatment as soon as possible to help keep from spreading the disease to others. Early treatment can also make the symptoms end sooner and be less severe.
How is whooping cough prevented?
Getting vaccinated is the best way to lower the risk of getting whooping cough. It's also important to wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home whenever you're sick.
Are some people at higher risk from whooping cough?
People at greatest risk from whooping cough include:
- Infants under one year old.
- Pregnant people, especially those in the third trimester.
- People that have a chronic respiratory illness.
Can I spread whooping cough even if I don't have a bad cough?
Yes. You can have whooping cough without realizing it and infect others. This is especially important to know for people who are going to be around babies or pregnant women. Any time you have a runny nose or cough, you should stay away from people more at risk to get sick. Make sure you are vaccinated before seeing them.
How common is whooping cough in Washington?
Whooping cough is always active in our state. In a typical year, Washington has anywhere between 184 and 1026 cases of whooping cough, and cases can vary from county to county. In 2012, we had a whooping cough epidemic with nearly 5000 cases. We continue to see spikes in whooping cough cases every couple of years.
Even though the number of cases fluctuates every year, it's important to remember that whooping cough never goes away completely. Getting vaccinated and staying away from others when you are sick are the best ways to slow the spread of whooping cough and protect people at highest risk, like babies and people who are pregnant.
For up-to-date information, see the current number of whooping cough cases in Washington (PDF). To view whooping cough data from past years, visit the Department of Health's Annual Communicable Disease Reports webpage.
Is there still a whooping cough epidemic in Washington?
Our statewide case count of 4,918 during the epidemic of 2012 was well above what we expect to see in an average year—the highest level since 1941, when 4,960 cases were reported. The pace of new whooping cough cases slowed after the 2012 epidemic, but we still saw spikes in whooping cough cases in 2014, 2017, and 2019. Even when the number of cases decreases, it's important to remember that whooping cough never goes away completely. Getting vaccinated and staying away from others when you are sick are the best ways to slow the spread of whooping cough and protect people at highest risk, like babies and pregnant people.
For up-to-date information, see the current number of whooping cough cases in Washington (PDF). To view whooping cough data from past years, visit the Department of Health's Annual Communicable Disease Reports webpage.
Are there more cases of whooping cough than what's reported?
There are always more cases of whooping cough than what's reported. Only about one out of every 10 cases gets reported to public health because:
- Sometimes whooping cough is diagnosed as something else.
- Some people have whooping cough without knowing it, so they may not see a doctor and it could go undiagnosed and unreported.
What if I was exposed to someone who has whooping cough?
Talk to your doctor, nurse, or clinic on the phone as soon as you learn that you have been exposed. You may be given antibiotics to treat your infection and make the infection less serious, especially if you start it early. Try to stay away from other people until you have completed the first 5 days of treatment, or until you receive a different diagnosis and know you aren’t contagious.
What should I do if I think someone in my family has whooping cough?
If you think you or one of your family members has whooping cough, call your doctor, nurse, or clinic and ask to be evaluated for whooping cough. Anyone that might have whooping cough should stay away from other people until the illness is treated (or another diagnosis for the cough proves it's not contagious).
How should employers handle employees returning to work who have had whooping cough?
Employers should talk with their Human Resources office to understand their company policies, procedures, and labor agreements, and work with their local health agency if they have questions about when a person with whooping cough can safely return to work. Employers should not share individual employee health information with others.
What's the best cleaning method to prevent spreading whooping cough?
While pertussis bacteria can live on a surface or object for several days, most people don't get whooping cough from contact with surfaces or objects. They get it from close face-to-face contact with people who have whooping cough.
Where can I get more information about whooping cough?
To get more information about whooping cough and the vaccines to prevent it, see our diseases and vaccines webpage.
How To Pay for Whooping Cough Vaccines if You Are an Adult
Does my private health insurance pay for the vaccine?
Children through age 18 receive vaccines at no cost in Washington through the Childhood Vaccine Program. For adults, call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to find out if Tdap vaccine will be covered for you.
Does Medicare cover the vaccine?
Medicare Part D covers the cost of the adult vaccine (Tdap) for adults aged 65 and older. Since it's a prescription drug benefit, coverage depends on the use of that benefit so far during the year. Call 1-800-633-4227 with questions about Medicare. Health care workers with questions should contact their patients' Part D plan for Part D vaccine information.
Does Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) cover the vaccine?
Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) covers the whooping cough vaccine per the recommended immunization schedule. Click here for more information about what vaccines are covered by Apple Health.
How can I pay for the vaccine if I'm uninsured?
There may be programs that can help you. Call the Family Health Hotline at 1-800-322-2588 or visit parenthelp123 website for more information. You can also contact your local health agency to find out if free vaccination clinics are planned in your community.
For Pregnant Women and New Parents
What is the vaccine recommendation for pregnant women?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant women get one Tdap vaccine at each pregnancy as early as possible between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation (the third trimester). Check with a health care provider if you have questions about what's right for you.
Why should pregnant women get vaccinated against whooping cough?
Getting vaccinated while pregnant helps your baby in two ways: (1) the baby gets some short-term protection from your vaccination because you pass it to them before they are born; and (2) you reduce the risk of getting whooping cough yourself and exposing your newborn to to the infection.
Why should pregnant women get vaccinated during each pregnancy?
Women should be vaccinated during each pregnancy because the mother passes some protection to the baby before he or she is born, and because protection from Tdap is most effective within the first year after receiving the vaccine. Whooping cough can be serious for infants, and most get it from parents, siblings, or caregivers. Getting the mother vaccinated at each pregnancy provides the best protection for each baby.
If I recently gave birth, can I get the whooping cough vaccine?
If you just gave birth and have never received Tdap (the adolescent and adult whooping cough vaccine), you should get it right away. Your baby is vulnerable to whooping cough because babies are too young to be vaccinated until about two months of age and aren't fully protected until after the first four doses of the DTaP vaccine (given at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age). Your child will also need a fifth dose of DTaP vaccine between age four and six years.
Whooping cough is very serious for babies and young children, and the most common way for them to get it is from parents, caregivers, and other family members. The best way to protect your baby is to get the vaccine and make sure your other children are immunized on time.
Should new dads and siblings get vaccinated?
All family members living in your house and anyone who will spend time around your new baby—like grandparents and child care providers—should get the whooping cough vaccine if they have not already done so. Check with your healthcare provider to make sure your family is up to date.
Can I get the pertussis vaccine if I'm breastfeeding?
It is safe to get Tdap while you're breastfeeding. If you're breastfeeding and you haven't received Tdap as an adult, you should get it right away.
Does breastfeeding protect my baby from whooping cough?
Mothers vaccinated with Tdap may pass some whooping cough antibodies to their babies through breast milk, but it does not provide full protection. It is still important to protect a baby who is still too young to be vaccinated by limiting his or her exposure to whooping cough. Ask people who are sick to stay away and make sure you and everyone who is around your baby is vaccinated. Then, as soon as your baby is old enough, get him or her vaccinated by following the recommended immunization schedule (PDF).
For Healthcare Workers and Providers
Is the whooping cough vaccine required for healthcare workers?
All healthcare workers should get one dose of Tdap vaccine. This helps protect the workers and their patients. This is especially true if the health care worker will be working with babies and pregnant women. There is no state law that requires healthcare workers to get the whooping cough vaccine, but some health care organizations have policies that require staff to be vaccinated. Check with your employer about your workplace vaccination policies.
Were there documented whooping cough cases in healthcare workers during the 2012 epidemic?
Yes, there were several cases of pertussis in healthcare workers during Washington's 2012 whooping cough epidemic. We recommend that all healthcare workers have a Tdap vaccination, stay home when they're sick, and use appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent infection when caring for patients with respiratory infections like whooping cough and flu.
Do healthcare providers in Washington report all people tested for whooping cough?
In Washington, whooping cough is a reportable condition and even a suspected case is supposed to be reported by healthcare professionals to their local health agencies. Some providers are unaware of the requirement to report. Some cases of whooping cough are diagnosed as other conditions and aren't reported. Some people with whooping cough don't go for medical attention and aren't diagnosed. An estimated one in 10 cases of whooping cough is reported to public health.