Known medically as pertussis, whooping cough is a highly infectious and potentially fatal bacterial infection that attacks the airways, causing uncontrollable coughing and difficulty breathing.

Often referred to as the ‘100-day cough,’ whooping cough can cause rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits until all air is gone from the lungs. These coughing fits can last for months and can be so severe that they cause vomiting, incontinence, broken ribs and hospitalisation.

Whooping cough is more contagious than influenza, measles or COVID-191 and, once infected, a person can remain contagious for three weeks or until they receive a course of antibiotics.

Symptoms of whopping cough don’t appear immediately (often for a week or more following infections), so an infected person may unwittingly spread whooping cough to up to 17 unvaccinated people.

In Australia, more than half of all confirmed cases of whooping cough occur in adults.

Whooping cough can be fatal in infants and can cause serious illness in older children and adults. Individuals with asthma face a four times greater risk of whooping cough infection and have a higher risk of being hospitalised.

Whooping cough vaccination offers the best defense against this highly contagious disease for the person vaccinated and their loved ones.

Babies are at greatest risk of severe whooping cough and immunisation of pregnant women offers the baby protection until it can receive its own vaccine schedule from six weeks of age.

The best way for older children and adults to protect themselves and loved ones from whooping cough is to remain protected with booster vaccines.

Vaccinations for whooping cough have been used for more than 100 years, with billions of doses administered globally. Last year alone, more than 110 million infants were vaccinated against whooping cough worldwide.

Side effects are closely monitored, and ongoing research shows that currently available whooping cough vaccines are very safe across broad populations. In fact, recent research involving more than 40,000 pregnant women found only mild side effects such as pain or redness at the injection site.

Having whooping cough does not leave you immune and while vaccination is the best defense against the bacteria, protection does wane over time. A whooping cough booster at least every 10 years is a safe and effective way to bolster protection.

In Australia, the whooping cough booster comes as a combination vaccine that also protects against diphtheria and tetanus, both of which also require boosters at least every 10 years to remain effective.

Whooping cough epidemics occur every three to five years and the most recent Australian epidemic peaking in late 2015. Experts believe we are overdue for a major outbreak, with infections likely to surge during the 2023 spring and summer months.

This risk is further compounded by low uptake of whooping cough boosters. Research shows more than 80 per cent of Australian adults cannot recall having received a whooping cough booster.

While vaccination is especially important for babies, pregnant women and people who are in contact with infants, we all have a role to play in controlling the spread of whooping cough and reducing the risk of infection.

Australians can check their vaccination status by talking to a doctor, pharmacist or by accessing their Immunisation History Statement via the Express Plus Medicare app.