Pertussis vaccine protects children from whooping cough

What the research found

Australian guidance describes pertussis vaccination as a safe and effective way to protect against serious whooping cough. It recommends doses at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months, at 4 years, and again in adolescence. Doses at 18 months and 4 years are needed because immunity wears off after the infant doses.

Babies are most at risk. Before maternal vaccination was widespread, Australia averaged 1 death and more than 200 hospitalisations a year in infants under 6 months. A 2017 systematic review found vaccination in pregnancy passes antibodies to the baby and protects newborns when they are most vulnerable.

An Australian hospital study (2022) compared children's hospital cases before and after pregnancy vaccination began. The share of cases in babies under 2 months fell from 33.1% in 2012 to 2014 to 19.6% in 2016 to 2019. In that later period, the mothers of only 4 of 17 babies under 2 months with whooping cough had been vaccinated in pregnancy.

What it doesn’t mean

• Protection is not perfect or lifelong. A 2015 meta-analysis and a review both point to waning immunity after the acellular vaccine, which is why booster doses are recommended.
• Vaccinated children can still occasionally catch whooping cough. Vaccination is aimed at preventing serious illness, especially in babies too young to be fully immunised.
• Common side effects are mild, such as soreness, redness, mild fever and unsettled behaviour. The vaccine should not be given to anyone who has had anaphylaxis to a previous dose or a vaccine component. Talk to your GP or child health nurse about your child's needs or any concerns.