EXCLUSIVESchool chaos fears as kids suspected of having whooping cough should be excluded for up to 3 weeks amid 'worst outbreak in 40 years' that has sparked calls for terrifying ads to boost vaccine uptake

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  • UKHSA says youngsters should isolate for 21 days from ‘onset of symptoms’
  • Teachers should also isolate if they suffer ‘active uncontrollable coughing’
  • Fear children with minor coughs will be kept at home missing classes 

Children and teachers with suspected whooping cough should be excluded from classes for up to three weeks, according to official guidance.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says youngsters should isolate for 21 days ‘from the onset of symptoms’ to avoid spreading the killer bug, if they have not had antibiotics.

However, it’s feared thousands of kids with minor coughs could be kept at home needlessly by worried parents, leading to a repeat of the Covid self-isolation nightmare.

Tory MP David Davis criticised the advice as overly-cautious, saying children should be tested, treated and sent back to class.

The government has been urged to publicise the deadly danger of whooping cough to boost vaccine uptake, as it did in the 1980s and '90s

The government has been urged to publicise the deadly danger of whooping cough to boost vaccine uptake, as it did in the 1980s and ’90s

This advert detailing the symptoms of whooping cough and warning of its danger was published in magazines in the USA in the 1950s

This advert detailing the symptoms of whooping cough and warning of its danger was published in magazines in the USA in the 1950s

He said: ‘The obvious response would be to put them on antibiotics and return them to school as quickly as possible. 

‘We should have learned the lesson from Covid that children are robust in the face of most illnesses. It’s vitally important to maintain the continuity of education.

‘Being away from school for weeks on end can put children behind in critical areas of their study, and they may not recover. 

‘Plainly, the right approach is to is to use medical procedures to accelerate their return, not to take an overcautious delay which could do real damage to their education.’

Whooping cough has killed five babies this year amid fears of the worst outbreak in 40 years. Almost 3,000 cases have been reported so far this year, three times the total for the whole of 2023.

The illness can be diagnosed with a PCR test and treated with antibiotics, reducing the necessary isolation time to 48 hours. But it’s feared under-pressure GPs may struggle to meet demand.

Health officials warned that the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a 'whoop' sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face

Health officials warned that the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face

Official guidance on the UKHSA website states that children should be excluded from school for at least 21 days after symptoms start. Suspected cases should be reported to them, and text messages will be sent to parents whose children attend a school with a confirmed case.

Teachers and staff at nurseries and schools should also isolate if they suffer ‘active uncontrollable coughing’, it adds.

A spokesman for the UKHSA said: ‘If anyone in your family is diagnosed with whooping cough, it’s important they stay at home and do not go into work, school or nursery until 48 hours after starting antibiotics, or 3 weeks after symptoms start if they have not had antibiotics.

‘This helps to prevent the spread of infection, especially to vulnerable groups. However, vaccination remains the best protection for babies and children.’

A whooping cough vaccine for pregnant women to protect their babies was introduced in October 2012. Immediately after that, the number of baby deaths fell.

New mum Kerry Pearson, from Dartford, Kent, has urged all pregnant women to take the whooping cough jab after her newborn Polly spent 10 days in a coma with the infection

New mum Kerry Pearson, from Dartford, Kent, has urged all pregnant women to take the whooping cough jab after her newborn Polly spent 10 days in a coma with the infection

The UKHSA has blamed the current outbreak on a steady decline in the uptake of vaccines among expectant mums. Experts say this is due to a mixture of vaccine hesitancy, lack of awareness and the cancellation of many ‘non essential’ services during the Covid pandemic.

However, it’s believed that three of the five grieving mothers had jabs during pregnancy to protect their children.

In the 1980s, the government published terrifying adverts telling parents that whooping cough can cause vomiting, weight loss, brain damage and death in children.

Dr Saleyha Ahsan believes the government should go back to publishing terrifying adverts about the dangers of whooping cough, as they did in the 1980 and '90s

Dr Saleyha Ahsan believes the government should go back to publishing terrifying adverts about the dangers of whooping cough, as they did in the 1980 and ’90s

Dr Saleyha Ahsan, a London-based A&E doctor, said the Department of Health should go back to publicising the deadly danger of the illness to boost vaccine uptake, as they did in the 1980s and ’90s.

‘There is a lack of knowledge about how deadly and dangerous whooping cough can be,’ she said. ‘In the 1980s there was lots of coverage about how dangerous whooping cough was.

‘I was a teenager then and was terrified because I had two little baby sisters. I used to bug my mum to make sure they had their vaccines because I was terrified by the pictures I was seeing. 

‘Publicity works. In Australia they’ve really gone for it, and awareness there among the general public is significantly more than here. Our vaccine uptake has gone down to about 59.5 per cent, and in some parts of London it’s down to 36 per cent. Those places are the ones with worst rates of really sick babies.

‘I’ve spoken to mums who’ve lost their babies to whooping cough – every one is a massive advocate for the vaccine. It’s about education and reassurance. It’s not all down to mums, the healthcare profession has to take a role in this.’ 

She added childhood whooping cough vaccines stop working after 10 years, so the NHS should consider giving boosters to adults, as they do in the US.

Drug company GSK put out adverts warning parents about the dangers of whooping cough in the US during the 1990s

Drug company GSK put out adverts warning parents about the dangers of whooping cough in the US during the 1990s

‘Education is needed for the public, for mums, and across the healthcare profession as well, because I didn’t realise it and colleagues also didn’t,’ she said. 

‘It’s important. It’s a highly contagious disease, it’s easily spread, it’s very difficult to diagnose, and if it reaches a child under two months, it can kill them. It’s a discussion we need to have.’

Kerry Pearson, from Dartford, Kent, has urged all pregnant women to take the whooping cough jab after her newborn Polly spent 10 days in a coma with the infection.

In April, at just two weeks old, she developed a rattly cough that left her struggling to breathe.

She said: ‘I knew nothing about whooping cough — it was just something from my grandparents’ era. There’s no treatment and no cure, we’re just having to wait and it’s unbearable.

Read More

Could YOUR child have whooping cough? Graphic reveals symptoms to look out for – and how to tell the ‘100-day cough’ apart from a cold

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‘If I’d had the vaccine during my pregnancy I’d have passed on the antibodies in my breastmilk. The vaccine should be routinely offered with every pregnancy.

‘I just want people to be aware, you should have the whooping cough vaccine when you’re pregnant. If you’re not offered it then please demand it.’

‘If you’re an anti-vaxxer please reconsider — this is deadly to infants — it’s not worth the risk. Nothing is worth going through what we’re going through.

‘We need to educate people about the vaccine and the symptoms.

‘Whooping cough is dangerous to newborns and I want people to know what to look out for.’

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHOOPING COUGH 


What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a serious and highly contagious respiratory disease that infects the lungs and breathing tubes. 

Also called pertussis, it’s caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. After or between bouts of coughing, patients may gasp for air and produce the characteristic ‘whoop’ noise. 

The disease is also sometimes called the ‘100-day cough’ as it can last for 6–12 weeks. 

It is most serious in babies under six months as it can cause breathing difficulties, dehydration, pneumonia and seizures. 

It is generally less severe in older children and adults.

What are the symptoms?

Typically, the first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat, though a high temperature is uncommon. 

After about a week, coughing bouts will start that last for a few minutes and are worse at night. 

Many infants and younger children with whooping cough have the coughing fits and accompanying whoop, but not all do. 

And sometimes babies don’t cough or whoop as older kids do but may show signs of difficulties breathing. 

The infection is generally milder in teenagers and adults than in babies and children, especially those who have been vaccinated.

How does it spread?

Whooping cough is very contagious and can be spread through tiny drops of fluid from an infected person’s nose or mouth. 

It can be spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or laughs. Others can catch it by inhaling the drops or getting the bacteria on their hands and then touching their mouths or noses. 

Symptoms usually appear about 7 to 10 days after exposure symptoms can appear up to 21 days after a person is infected. 

People are most contagious at the earliest stages and for up to about two weeks after the cough begins.

Why are cases rising?

More than 2,700 whooping cough cases have been reported across the country so far in 2024, with 1,319 cases reported in March alone, according to the UKHSA. 

This compares to 858 cases throughout the entirety of 2023. 

Cases of whooping cough peak every four or so years but the pandemic saw a dramatic fall in the incidence of whooping cough and other respiratory infections as a result of reduced mixing of people. 

Professor Andrew Preston from the University of Bath’s Milner Centre for Evolution, said cases have been rising since the end of restrictions and a peak year had been expected to arise soon. 

Vaccination rates in infants have declined compared to pre-pandemic levels, down from over 96 per cent coverage to just under 93 per cent last year. 

Likewise, uptake of the maternal booster dropped from a high of 70 per cent to under 60 per cent. 

This has left many more young babies and infants susceptible to infection.

Who can get the jab?

The vaccine is routinely offered three times including to women in pregnancy as it can protect the baby during the first few weeks of life. 

Doctors suggest the best time to have it is soon after the 16th week of pregnancy. 

The 6-in-1 vaccine is then offered to babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age and a booster at 3 years and 4 months. 

Older children and adults aren’t routinely vaccinated, except during pregnancy or a whooping cough outbreak.

My child is vaccinated, can they still get whooping cough?

Yes. Vaccines are never 100 per cent effective but do offer the best defence against the disease. 

As with Covid jabs, even if they do not stop your child getting the illness, the likelihood is that it will be less severe. 

As well as reducing overall severity, people who are vaccinated are likely to suffer from the cough for a shorter period.

Is whooping cough treatable?

Yes, although treatment depends on age and how long it has been since catching the infection. 

Children under 6 months who are very ill and people with severe symptoms will usually be admitted to hospital for treatment. 

People diagnosed during the first 3 weeks of infection may be prescribed antibiotics to take at home. 

These will help stop the infection spreading to others but may not reduce the symptoms. 

Those who have had whooping cough for more than 3 weeks will not normally need treatment as they are no longer contagious and antibiotics are unlikely to help. 

Rest, drinking plenty of fluids and painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, should be taken for a fever. 

Cough medicines are unlikely to be effective and are often not suitable for young children so should be avoided.

What should I do if I’m worried my child has it?

First, call your GP or NHS 111 and explain the symptoms. 

They may then arrange for you or your child to come in for tests and treatment. 

If you or your child are taking antibiotics for whooping cough, you need to be careful not to spread the infection to others. 

The NHS recommends those infected stay away from nursery, school or work until 2 days after the start of antibiotic treatment or, if not taking antibiotics 3 weeks from when the coughing bouts started. 

Children’s mouth’s and nose should be covered with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and these should be disposed of immediately. 

Hands should be washed regularly with soap and water.

My child isn’t vaccinated. Am I too late?

No. It is best to have vaccines on time, but they can still have whooping cough as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine up to the age of 10. 

Babies are given 3 doses of the 6-in-1 vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination schedule at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. 

They are also offered a 4-in-1 pre-school booster, aged 3 years 4 months If your child has missed their 6-in-1 vaccinations, contact their GP surgery.





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