If what starts like a cold turns, after about a week, into coughing bouts lasting a few minutes with a gasping “whoop”, it may be whooping cough. The NHS says the cough can last several weeks or months, and babies under 6 months have a higher chance of dehydration, breathing problems, pneumonia and seizures. If it’s diagnosed within 3 weeks of the cough starting, antibiotics are given to cut the spread, and you stay off school, work or nursery until 48 hours after starting them — or 3 weeks after the cough started without them. Vaccination at about 20 weeks of pregnancy protects the baby in its first weeks.
1. A cold for the first week, then minutes-long coughing bouts, a “whoop”, vomiting from mucus — babies under 3 months and some adults may not whoop.
2. Antibiotics if diagnosed within 3 weeks; stay away 48 hours after starting — without them, 3 weeks after the cough began.
3. A baby under 6 months with symptoms: urgent help; blue or grey lips or face: 999 — antibiotics at 8:00 on 21 October: back from 8:00 on the 23rd.
Calculator
Updates as you type. The NHS: stay away until 48 hours after starting antibiotics, or 3 weeks after the cough started if you haven’t had antibiotics; antibiotics are given if diagnosed within 3 weeks of the cough starting. Dates are our sums.
Symptoms — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| First week or so | Like a cold: runny nose, sore throat; a high temperature is uncommon | — |
| From about a week | Coughing bouts lasting a few minutes, worse at night; a “whoop” gasp between coughs — babies under 3 months and some adults may not whoop | — |
| After a bout | Difficulty breathing; in young babies skin turning blue or grey | — |
| Also | Thick mucus causing vomiting; a very red face (more common in adults) | — |
| How long | The cough can last several weeks or months | — |
| Risks | Babies under 6 months: higher chance of dehydration, breathing difficulty, pneumonia, seizures. Older children and adults usually milder, but coughing can cause sore ribs, hernia, ear infections or incontinence | — |
When to get help — NHS
| If | Where | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| A baby under 6 months with symptoms | Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 | A paediatrician in Korea (ours) |
| A very bad cough that’s getting worse | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Pregnant and in contact with someone who has it | Urgent GP or 111 | — |
| Lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly blue or grey (on black or brown skin, palms or soles) | 999 or A&E | 119 in Korea |
| Difficulty breathing properly (shallow breathing) | 999 or A&E | — |
| Chest pain worse on breathing or coughing — possibly pneumonia | 999 or A&E | — |
| A child having seizures | 999 or A&E | — |
Treatment and vaccines — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment | Depends on age and how long you’ve had it; severe cases and babies under 6 months usually need hospital | — |
| Antibiotics | Given if diagnosed within 3 weeks of the cough starting, to cut spread; may not ease symptoms; finish the course | — |
| At home | Rest, plenty of fluids, paracetamol or ibuprofen (no aspirin under 16) | — |
| Time off | Contagious up to 3 weeks after the cough starts; stay off school, work or nursery until 48 hours after starting antibiotics, or 3 weeks after the cough started without them | — |
| Baby vaccines | 6-in-1 at 8, 12 and 16 weeks and 18 months; 4-in-1 pre-school booster at 3 years 4 months | UK schedule; Korea’s is set by the KDCA (ours) |
| Pregnancy vaccine | Recommended at about 20 weeks — protects the baby in its first weeks; contact your GP or midwife if not offered by then | — |
The NHS says not to drive to A&E: call 999 for an ambulance or ask someone to drive you, and bring any medicines you take.
For example, a cough from 10 October and antibiotics from 8:00 on 21 October mean back from 8:00 on the 23rd; without antibiotics, stay away until 31 October, 3 weeks after the cough began (our sum).
Coughs in general are in cough; babies’ coughs and colds in baby cough and cold.
Checklist
- ☐ Note when the cough started — get diagnosed within 3 weeks
- ☐ Note when antibiotics started — back 48 hours later
- ☐ Keep away from babies under 6 months
- ☐ Pregnant? Vaccine at about 20 weeks
- ☐ Turning blue or a seizure: call emergency services
Questions that remain
Is an adult with it a risk to babies?
The NHS singles out babies under 6 months and makes contact in pregnancy a reason for urgent advice; adults are usually milder but can pass it on.
Is Korea’s vaccine schedule the same?
The schedule here is the NHS’s; check the KDCA immunisation guide for Korea.
Sources
- NHS — Whooping cough — source (page shows: reviewed 6 August 2026, next review 6 August 2029; checked 21 October 2026). Early and later symptoms, the whoop exceptions, duration, risks under 6 months, three urgent criteria, four 999 criteria, treatment and hospital, antibiotics within 3 weeks, 48 hours and 3 weeks off, 6-in-1 and 4-in-1 schedule, 20-week pregnancy vaccine.
- Not read. The Korean schedule and school exclusion rules.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean care gloss.
Where to check further
- KDCA immunisation helper — Korea’s schedule.
- Paediatrics or obstetrics — vaccines for babies and in pregnancy.
Written on 21 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
