Admin Corner
By Emma Attrill
Preventing and Managing Whooping Cough
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Whooping cough cases are continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children, at this stage there have been no reported cases at Glen Waverley Primary School. However, we still need to be aware of the symptoms of Whooping Cough and what to do if your child is exposed to whooping cough.
Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory infection that is spread by airborne droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze. The major symptom of whooping cough is the characteristic by the cough which is followed by a "Whooping" sound when breathing in, cold symptoms often begin before the cough such as blocked or runny nose, tiredness or mild fever. The cough does not always have a whooping sound.
People usually develop symptoms 4 to 21 days after being exposed and they are infectious from the onset of their first cold symptoms up to 21 days after the onset of the cough or until after they have completed the 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment.
If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.
If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they 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. The exclusion from school is required by law.
Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person with whooping cough or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are less than 7 and not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.
For more information about whooping cough refer to Whooping Cough on The Better Health Channel. I really appreciate your support in keeping our students safe. Have a safe break over the holidays.
Kind Regards,
Nurse Emma