Whooping Cough (Pertussis) in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a serious and highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It affects people of all ages but is especially dangerous for babies under 6 months of age.

In Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, cases of whooping cough tend to rise every few years. Because our community has many young families and close-contact environments like schools, churches, and daycares, vaccination and early diagnosis are essential to protect vulnerable infants.

What Is Whooping Cough?

Whooping cough usually begins like a common cold, then progresses to severe coughing fits. The name “whooping cough” comes from the high-pitched “whoop” sound some people make when they gasp for air after a long bout of coughing.

Even with treatment, the cough can last up to 3 months, which is why pertussis is sometimes called the “100-day cough.”

Early Symptoms (First 1–2 Weeks)

At first, whooping cough can be hard to recognize because it looks like a regular upper respiratory infection:

  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Mild cough
  • Low-grade fever
  • Tiredness and irritability

During this early “cold-like” phase, people are already contagious and can easily spread the infection to others in homes, schools, and workplaces throughout the Grand Rapids area.

Later Symptoms (Coughing Stage)

After 1–2 weeks, the cough usually becomes more severe and distinctive. Symptoms can include:

  • Severe coughing spells (bouts) that happen in rapid bursts
  • A “whooping” sound when breathing in after a coughing fit
  • Vomiting after a coughing spell (very common in children)
  • Exhaustion after coughing
  • Difficulty catching breath during coughing fits

People may appear fairly well between coughing episodes, which can make it easy to underestimate how serious the illness is.

Symptoms in Different Age Groups

Babies Under 6 Months

Whooping cough is most serious in young babies. They may not have a typical “whoop” or even a noticeable cough. Instead, they may:

  • Stop breathing for short periods (apnea)
  • Turn blue or pale around the lips or face
  • Have trouble feeding or choke/gag during feeds
  • Seem very tired or less responsive

These symptoms are a medical emergency. In Grand Rapids, call 911 immediately if your baby:

  • Has pauses in breathing
  • Turns blue or dusky
  • Has severe difficulty breathing

Many infants with pertussis need hospital care, sometimes in an intensive care unit. Local hospitals such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) Butterworth Hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, and Trinity Health Grand Rapids provide advanced pediatric care for severe cases.

Older Children, Teens, and Adults

Older children and adults may have:

  • A persistent, hacking cough that lasts for weeks
  • Coughing fits, sometimes ending in vomiting
  • Little or no fever
  • No obvious “whoop” sound

Because symptoms can be milder, teens and adults in Grand Rapids may not realize they have whooping cough and can unknowingly spread it to infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

How Whooping Cough Spreads in the Grand Rapids Community

Whooping cough is spread by respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Others can become infected by:

  • Breathing in droplets in the air
  • Close contact with an infected person (household members, classmates, coworkers)

People are usually infectious:

  • From the start of cold-like symptoms
  • Until 21 days after the onset of the cough, or
  • Until they have completed 5 full days of appropriate antibiotic treatment

In communities like Grand Rapids—with busy schools, daycare centers, college campuses, and indoor gatherings (especially during our long Michigan winters)—pertussis can spread quickly if people are not up to date on vaccination.

Who Is Most at Risk in Grand Rapids?

Anyone can get whooping cough, but certain groups are at higher risk of severe illness and complications:

  • Babies under 6 months of age

    • Too young to be fully immunized
    • Highest risk of hospitalization and death

  • Pregnant women and their newborns

    • Infection during late pregnancy can be serious
    • Newborns depend on maternal antibodies and community protection

  • People who live with or care for infants

    • Parents, grandparents, siblings, babysitters, daycare staff

  • Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people

    • Children who missed doses
    • Teens and adults who have not had a booster in many years

  • Healthcare and childcare workers

    • Higher exposure risk and potential to spread infection

In Grand Rapids, families often live in multigenerational households and participate in close-knit community, church, and school activities, which can increase the risk of spread if vaccination rates are low.

Complications of Whooping Cough

Complications are most common and most severe in babies and young children. They can include:

  • Apnea (stopping breathing for periods of time)
  • Dehydration from poor feeding or vomiting
  • Middle-ear infections
  • Pneumonia (lung infection)
  • Seizures (fits)
  • Inflammation of the brain
  • Coma
  • Permanent brain damage
  • Death

Because Michigan winters keep many families indoors and respiratory viruses are more common, it can be harder to recognize and separate whooping cough from other illnesses. Any prolonged or severe cough—especially with vomiting or breathing changes—should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

How Long After Exposure Do Symptoms Appear?

Symptoms usually develop 4 to 21 days after being exposed to someone with pertussis. This is called the incubation period.

If you live or work in the Grand Rapids area and have had close contact with someone diagnosed with whooping cough—especially if there is a baby or a pregnant person in your home—contact your doctor or the Kent County Health Department for advice about testing, antibiotics, and vaccination.

Diagnosing Whooping Cough in Grand Rapids

Whooping cough is diagnosed based on:

  • Symptoms and how long they have lasted
  • Physical examination
  • Medical history, including vaccination status and known exposures

To confirm the diagnosis, your healthcare provider may order:

  • A nose or throat swab to test for Bordetella pertussis
  • Blood tests (in some cases)

You can be evaluated at:

  • Your primary care provider or pediatrician
  • Local clinics and urgent care centers (e.g., Corewell Health, Trinity Health, Metro Health, Mercy Health clinics)
  • The emergency department if symptoms are severe

Early diagnosis is important to:

  • Start antibiotics promptly
  • Reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others
  • Protect high-risk contacts, especially infants and pregnant women

Treatment of Whooping Cough

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are used to:

  • Help prevent the spread of the infection to other people
  • Reduce the severity and duration of symptoms if started early in the illness

People with whooping cough are usually considered non-infectious after 5 full days of appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Supportive Care at Home

Most older children, teens, and adults can be treated at home. Recommendations include:

  • Stay hydrated

    • Drink plenty of fluids; small sips often are easier between coughing fits

  • Get plenty of rest

    • Coughing can be exhausting; rest helps recovery

  • Avoid cigarette smoke and other irritants

    • Smoke and strong fumes can worsen coughing

  • Limit contact with high-risk people

    • Avoid close contact with infants and pregnant women while you are infectious

When Hospital Care Is Needed

Some babies and very ill patients may need treatment in the hospital, especially if they:

  • Have trouble breathing
  • Have repeated apnea episodes
  • Cannot feed well or are becoming dehydrated
  • Have complications like pneumonia

In Grand Rapids, severe cases may be treated at:

  • Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
  • Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids

Call 911 immediately if:

  • You or your child have difficulty breathing
  • Lips or face start turning blue or gray
  • Your baby stops breathing, even briefly

Preventing Whooping Cough in Grand Rapids

Immunization Is the Best Protection

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent whooping cough and protect the Grand Rapids community, especially our youngest residents.

In the United States, whooping cough vaccines are only available as combination vaccines that also protect against other diseases like diphtheria and tetanus (e.g., DTaP for children, Tdap for older children and adults).

Immunity from both infection and vaccination fades over time, so booster doses are necessary.

Always confirm current vaccine schedules and funding with your healthcare provider or the Kent County Health Department, as guidelines can change.

Children

Pertussis-containing vaccines are routinely recommended for children at:

  • 2 months
  • 4 months
  • 6 months
  • 15–18 months
  • 4–6 years

These doses are usually given as the DTaP vaccine.

Adolescents

  • A booster dose (Tdap) is recommended once during adolescence, often around 11–12 years of age.
  • In Michigan, this is typically coordinated with school vaccination requirements.

Adults

Adults should receive:

  • One dose of Tdap if they have never had it as an adolescent or adult
  • A booster every 10 years, often as Td (tetanus and diphtheria), with at least one of those boosters including pertussis (Tdap), especially if they:
    • Work in healthcare or childcare
    • Live with or care for infants
    • Are planning pregnancy or are around pregnant people

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women should receive a Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy, preferably between 20 and 32 weeks gestation. If not given during this time, it should be administered as soon as possible up to delivery.

Vaccinating during pregnancy:

  • Helps the mother avoid severe pertussis
  • Passes protective antibodies to the baby before birth
  • Has been shown to reduce whooping cough in young infants by 80–91%

If the vaccine is given within 2 weeks of delivery, the newborn may not be adequately protected, so earlier vaccination in pregnancy is strongly recommended.

Protecting High-Risk Groups in Grand Rapids

Household and Close Contacts

People living in the same household as someone with whooping cough are at higher risk of infection. This is especially dangerous when:

  • A baby under 6 months lives in the home
  • Someone in the last month of pregnancy lives in the home

Healthcare providers may recommend preventive antibiotics for close contacts, even if they are fully vaccinated, particularly in:

  • Households with infants or pregnant women
  • Childcare settings
  • Healthcare settings

School and Childcare Exclusion

To reduce spread in the community:

  • Children with whooping cough must not attend daycare, preschool, or school for:

    • 21 days after the onset of cough, or
    • Until they have completed 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment

  • Unvaccinated children under 7 years old who were in the same room as an infectious case may also need to stay home:

    • For 14 days after the last contact, or
    • Until they have completed 5 days of preventive antibiotics

Local schools and childcare centers in the Grand Rapids area often work closely with the Kent County Health Department to manage pertussis exposures and outbreaks.

Immunization, Risk Factors, and the “HALO” Concept

Your need for whooping cough vaccination depends on:

  • H – Health: chronic conditions, immune status, pregnancy
  • A – Age: infants, children, adolescents, adults, older adults
  • L – Lifestyle: travel, living with infants, community activities, smoking
  • O – Occupation: healthcare, childcare, teaching, public-facing roles

If you live in Grand Rapids or Kent County and are unsure about your pertussis vaccination status or risk, talk with:

  • Your primary care provider or pediatrician
  • Your OB/GYN if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy
  • The Kent County Health Department Immunization Clinic

They can review your HALO factors and recommend appropriate vaccines or boosters.

What to Do if You Suspect Whooping Cough

Seek prompt medical care if you or your child:

  • Have a cough lasting more than 1–2 weeks
  • Have severe coughing fits, especially with vomiting
  • Have difficulty breathing or a “whooping” sound when inhaling
  • Have been exposed to someone diagnosed with pertussis

In Grand Rapids, you can:

  • Contact your family doctor or pediatrician
  • Visit an urgent care clinic (Corewell Health, Trinity Health, Metro Health, Mercy Health)
  • Call your insurance nurse line, if available
  • Call 911 in an emergency (severe breathing problems, blue lips/face, apnea in infants)

For public health guidance, vaccination information, and local pertussis updates, contact:

  • Kent County Health Department – Immunization Services
  • Grand Rapids Public Health resources (often coordinated through Kent County)

Key Points About Whooping Cough in Grand Rapids, MI

  • The cough from whooping cough can last up to 3 months, even after antibiotics and even when you are no longer infectious.
  • Vomiting after coughing is common, especially in children.
  • Older children, teens, and adults without a recent pertussis booster can become infected and may have milder symptoms.
  • These milder cases can unknowingly spread the infection to infants, who are at greatest risk of severe illness and death.
  • Periodic increases in whooping cough cases occur in the United States and can affect communities like Grand Rapids, raising the risk for infants and vulnerable residents.
  • Vaccination (DTaP/Tdap) is the best way to prevent whooping cough and protect babies, pregnant women, and the broader Grand Rapids community.

If you live in or around Grand Rapids and have questions about whooping cough, pertussis vaccination, or local outbreaks, contact your healthcare provider or the Kent County Health Department for up-to-date, locally relevant guidance.