Health & Safety
St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School
The Victorian Health Department has issued a health alert entitled “Increasing pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Victoria”. The key messages from the alert are:
• Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) are increasing in Victoria, mostly affecting children aged 10-12 years.
• Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness known for causing a cough, and can lead to life threatening infections in babies.
• Symptoms of pertussis may be very similar to other respiratory infections, especially in the early stages, meaning diagnosis by a doctor as soon as possible is important.
Prompt diagnosis, isolation and treatment can help reduce transmission and protect vulnerable infants.
Pertussis usually begins with cold-like symptoms, such as a dry cough, tiredness, runny nose, and lowgrade fever. A more definitive cough follows, lasting for 10 weeks or more. The cough comes in long spells and may be followed by a high-pitched ‘whooping’ sound on inhalation.
Pertussis is mostly spread to other people by droplets from coughing or sneezing. People with pertussis are considered infectious from the onset of cold-like symptoms until 21 days after the onset of cough, or until they have received 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment.
Legislated Exclusion Periods
For diagnosed cases:
• The treating doctor can provide specific advice in relation to exclusion periods from school, and can verify when exclusion periods can be ended.
• Children diagnosed with pertussis to be exclude from primary schools and children’s services for a minimum period of 21 days after the onset of cough, or until they have completed 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment.
• The treating doctor will complete the required notifications to the Department of Health
• Schools should notify MACS via the report form on CEVN or at ohs@macs.vic.edu.au
For contacts of diagnosed cases:
• The exclusion requirement only applies to contacts who meet all three of these criteria:
- aged less than 7 years;
- in the same room as the child with the diagnosed case; and
- have not received three effective doses of pertussis vaccine
• Children meeting these criteria should be excluded for 14 days after the last exposure to the infectious case, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of effective antibiotic treatment.