Whooping cough

Whooping cough cases are rising across Victoria, especially among school-aged children. This highly contagious infection spreads mainly through coughing or sneezing.

Symptoms include:

• blocked or runny nose
• tiredness
• mild fever
• severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life-threatening infections in babies. If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to reducing the spread of infection.

School attendance policies

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school for:

• 21 days after the onset of the cough, or
• Until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment.

You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough. Additionally, students who were in the same classroom as an infected student must also stay home:

• For 14 days after last exposure, or
• Until they have taken 5 days of antibiotics if they are:
  • aged less than 7 years and not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of the whooping cough vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law. For more details, refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

Contact us

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to inform us. Together, we can protect our school community by following these guidelines.

More information

Visit the Better Health Channel website to find out more about whooping cough. 

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is available for students aged 12 to 13. If you're unsure about your child’s vaccination status, please consult your doctor.

Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe and healthy.