Prevention of whooping cough (pertussis):

A DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) or pertussis-only vaccine helps protect children against this disease. Vaccination starts in infancy. These important immunizations are routinely given in five doses before a child's sixth birthday. The pertussis vaccine has dramatically decreased the number of cases of whooping cough that occur each year and saved countless lives. Prophylactic (preventive) oral antibiotics should be given to anyone who lives in the same household as someone with pertussis. Others who have had close contact with the infected person, including day-care staff and students, should also receive prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

During epidemics, non-immunized children under age 7 should be excused from school and public gatherings and isolated from anyone known or suspected to be infected. This should last until 14 days after the last reported case. Pertussis immunization is not 100% effective. Furthermore, the effect of childhood immunization begins to wear off after about 5 years, which is why previously immunized teens and adults can get pertussis. In these cases, the symptoms are usually milder and less "classic". During epidemics, health care workers, teens in school, or others with a high risk of exposure should consider a booster dose of the vaccine.