Staying well this winter

With more than a month left of a frosty winter, many ANU students and staff will have already battled the dreaded lurgy. With more serious infections about, like whooping cough, it is important to stay vigilant.

Whooping cough (sometimes called pertussis) is a serious respiratory infection that causes a long coughing illness. It is highly infectious and is most serious in babies under the age of 12 months. It is very rare for children who have been vaccinated to get whooping cough - and if they do it is usually not as serious.  

Here are some helpful facts about whooping cough from NSW Health:

What are the symptoms?

• Whooping cough starts like a cold with a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a mild fever and an occasional cough.
• The cough gets worse and severe bouts of uncontrollable coughing develop. Coughing bouts can be followed by vomiting, choking or taking a big gasping breath which causes a "whooping" sound. The cough can last for many weeks and can be worse at night.

What should I do if I have these symptoms?

A person with whooping cough can spread it to others in the first three weeks of illness. Bacteria coughed into the air can be inhaled by people nearby. These people are then at risk of getting whooping cough, usually about a week later. It spreads easily through families, childcare centres, schools, and workplaces so it's important to act fast.

• See your General Practitioner.
• Follow medical advice, such as a course of antibiotics.
• Stay home until medical clearance is provided.

How do I prevent whooping cough in the workplace?

• Don't attend work when symptomatic.
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
• Wash your hands regularly and carefully with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleansers (especially after coughing or sneezing).
• Dispose of tissues directly into the bin.
• Immunisation remains the most effective way to avoid pertussis infection. It is important to double check children are fully up to date with their immunisations. A pertussis vaccine is also available for adults via private prescription.
• Hand washing is the single most effective way to reduce the spread of germs that cause respiratory disease such as colds and flu. Check out this helpful handing washing guide.

Should I report that I have whooping cough?

In order to monitor the health and wellbeing of people in the workplace the University asks that if you are diagnosed with whooping cough to please advise your workplace and submit an Incident Notice.

Further information

• Detailed information about whooping cough, medical advice (including vaccination in adults) and effective handwashing
• Tips to stay well in winter

If you have any particular concerns please get in touch with the Work Environment Group