Pertussis
What is it?
What do I need?
How long will it take?
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a contagious respiratory infection that begins like a cold and then develops a characteristic cough. It is spread by an infected person coughing or sneezing and is highly infectious in unvaccinated people.
As with most infectious diseases, immunisation is the best prevention. Vaccination against pertussis is recommended every 10 years for healthcare workers, early childhood educators and carers, and people in close contact with infants.
Requirements
You need to check your vaccination records to see if you have received a dose of a pertussis vaccine administered in the last 10 years, and whether the brand of vaccine is currently accepted in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
If you have never received a pertussis vaccine, or if your vaccine was administered more than 10 years ago, speak to your doctor about getting a booster dose.
Evidence
Upload a copy of your vaccination record showing a valid dose of an acceptable brand of pertussis vaccine that has been administered in the last 10 years.
More details
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Overseas records can be accepted for pertussis as long as they meet the following requirements:
- Documents must be in English (translated documents will not be accepted).
- Vaccination records must clearly show the dates and the brand names of vaccines administered.
- Vaccination brands are aligned with the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
If your records do not meet these requirements you will need to talk to your doctor about receiving a booster dose.
Ready to submit your documents? Go to Sonia.
Still have questions? Contact the MDHS Student Hub.