Whooping Cough Stayed High in the U.S. What Families Should Know About Vaccines, Testing, and Calling Ahead

Whooping cough is not new, and a higher national count does not mean every community is seeing the same level of spread. But it is still worth paying attention to in spring 2026 because babies remain at highest risk, and a few simple steps can make a real difference: stay up to date on pertussis vaccines, ask about testing early if the cough is dragging on or turning severe, and call a clinic before walking in if whooping cough is possible.

Why pertussis is still on the radar in spring 2026

In a January 2026 provisional surveillance report, the CDC said 28,783 pertussis cases were reported in the United States in 2025. Because the report is provisional, that number may still change. The CDC also says reported cases trended down after a peak in November 2024, but activity remained elevated in 2025. So this is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to be practical.

Why babies are the main concern when whooping cough activity rises

Pertussis can cause a miserable cough at any age, but infants face the greatest danger. In the CDC’s provisional 2025 report, babies younger than 6 months had the highest incidence and the highest hospitalization burden.

Very young babies may not make the classic “whoop” sound at all. They may have pauses in breathing, turn blue, struggle to feed, or seem to be fighting for breath. That is why public health advice focuses so heavily on protecting newborns and young infants before their own vaccine series is underway.

What families should do about vaccines right now

The most useful vaccine step is not getting extra shots “just in case.” It is making sure everyone is following the schedule that already exists.

Young children should get the routine five-dose DTaP series at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 through 18 months, and 4 through 6 years.
Preteens should get one Tdap dose at 11 to 12 years.
Adults who never received Tdap should get one catch-up dose.
Pregnant patients should get one Tdap dose during every pregnancy, ideally in the early part of weeks 27 through 36.

Vaccination still matters even though immunity against pertussis can wane over time and vaccinated people can still get infected. The CDC notes that even children who are up to date may still catch pertussis, but vaccination lowers the chance of severe disease, and vaccinated people who do get sick often have milder illness. That is not vaccine failure. It is how a vaccine can still help even when it does not prevent every case.

Pregnancy deserves special attention because newborns are the group most at risk before their own shots begin. A 2023 ecologic study in JAMA Pediatrics, which examined more than 57,000 infant pertussis cases reported in the United States from 2000 through 2019, found that pertussis incidence in infants younger than 2 months fell after maternal Tdap vaccination was introduced. Because it was an observational trend analysis, it cannot prove cause and effect by itself. But it supports the long-standing recommendation to give Tdap during every pregnancy to help protect newborns.

Why testing early matters

If a cough has gone on for days and is becoming harsher, comes in fits, causes vomiting after coughing, or includes a whoop or breathing trouble, do not wait too long to ask a clinician whether pertussis should be considered. Timing matters because the main tests work best at different points in the illness.

Culture works best in the first 2 weeks after the cough starts.
PCR is generally useful for up to 3 to 4 weeks after cough onset.
Serology, a blood test that looks for antibodies, is most useful from 2 to 8 weeks after cough onset and becomes less reliable later.

A later negative test does not always rule pertussis out. That is why the practical message is simple: if whooping cough is on the list of possibilities, ask about testing sooner rather than later.

When to call ahead before a clinic visit

If a child, teen, or adult has a prolonged or severe cough and whooping cough is possible, call the clinic before leaving home. Washington State’s health department advises people to phone first so clinicians can give arrival instructions and help avoid exposing other patients.

That matters most in waiting rooms and urgent care settings where babies, pregnant patients, and medically fragile people may be nearby. While someone is being evaluated for possible pertussis, they should stay away from others until treatment has started or another diagnosis explains the cough and shows it is not contagious.

Bottom line: calm, practical steps families can take now

Check whether children are on schedule for DTaP and whether teens got Tdap at 11 to 12.
Adults who have never had Tdap should ask about catch-up vaccination.
Pregnant patients should ask about Tdap during every pregnancy, because newborns are the most vulnerable before their own shots start.
Do not wait too long to ask about testing if a cough is severe, prolonged, or has classic whooping features.
If whooping cough is possible, call ahead before walking into a clinic.

The bottom line is calm but important: whooping cough stayed high in the United States in 2025, and babies still bore the biggest risk. For most families, the best response is not panic. It is timely vaccination, earlier questions about testing, and a quick phone call before showing up for care.

Sources

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Research findings can be early, limited, or subject to change as new evidence emerges. For personal guidance, diagnosis, or treatment, consult a licensed clinician. For current outbreak or public health guidance, follow your local health department, the CDC, or another relevant public health authority.