WHOOPING COUGH IS ROARING BACK — AND A SURPRISING NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN'T IDENTIFY IT.
Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a vaccine-preventable respiratory infection that has been climbing again across the United States. After a several-year dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation saw cases spike dramatically in 2024 — roughly a sixfold rise — and levels have stayed elevated into 2025. As of Dec. 6, public health data show more than 26,600 U.S. cases reported this year: that’s fewer cases than in the same period of 2024, but still more than four times the total reported for all of 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC notes that preliminary pertussis case counts in 2025 are higher than they were just before the pandemic. In some states, the recent numbers are the highest seen in decades. For example, Oregon recorded 1,475 cases as of Dec. 10 — topping the previous state record of 1,420 cases set in 1950, according to The Oregonian. And in Kentucky, officials cited by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) say the state experienced its third infant death from whooping cough this year, after reporting none since 2018.
But here's where it gets controversial: while infections are rising, public understanding of the disease and its prevention appears weak. A nationally representative panel survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania found that many adults are uncertain about even the basics of pertussis. In a sample of 1,637 U.S. adults surveyed Nov. 17–Dec. 1, 2025, nearly one-third (30%) were not sure whether pertussis is the same illness as whooping cough (it is), and 35% were unsure whether a vaccine exists to prevent it (there is one). Those proportions were statistically unchanged from a comparable APPC survey done in November 2024.
Why the resurgence?
Public health officials point to a mix of factors. CBS News summarized interviews with state and federal health authorities, who say outbreaks have been driven by declining vaccination coverage, waning immunity over time, and delays in public health surveillance and reporting systems. Infants who are too young to complete the vaccine series are at greatest risk of severe disease and even death — which is why rising case counts and infant fatalities provoke such concern.
What the CDC advises about vaccination
The CDC recommends specific vaccines to protect against pertussis, and safety reviews have shown these combination vaccines to be both safe and effective. Two formulations are central:
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis): given to people ages 7 and older. The CDC specifically recommends giving Tdap to preteens at 11–12 years, to pregnant people during each pregnancy (ideally between 27 and 36 weeks), and to adults who have not previously received the vaccine.
- DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis): given to young children as a five-dose series at 2, 4, and 6 months; 15–18 months; and again between ages 4 and 6.
A quick plain-language clarification: these vaccines protect against three diseases at once, so they’re often discussed by their component names (DTaP, Tdap). Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of APPC, has suggested that public health messaging might be more effective if communicators simply said “whooping cough vaccine” instead of using the technical term “pertussis” or referring only to DTaP/Tdap — because everyday language can help people recognize the threat and the solution.
Does the public recommend vaccination for family members?
Overall, most adults signal support for vaccinating the people around them. In the APPC survey, 83% of respondents said they would be likely to recommend that an 11- to 12-year-old in their household, or an adult due for a 10-year booster, receive the Tdap vaccine. About 77% believe the Tdap vaccine is effective against the three illnesses it targets (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), while 17% said they were unsure. Only 13% said they worried that they or someone in their family would get whooping cough in the next three months.
And this is the part most people miss: when it comes to pregnancy, support for vaccination drops. A separate APPC national panel survey of 1,699 adults fielded in August 2025 found that fewer than half (46%) would be likely to recommend Tdap to someone who is pregnant — the same figure as in 2023. That’s notable because before an infant’s two-month-old vaccine appointment, the baby’s primary protection is antibodies passed from the pregnant parent after they receive Tdap during that pregnancy.
How well do people understand the disease and the vaccine?
The survey dug into specific knowledge and found important gaps:
- Name recognition: When asked to identify pertussis from a list of definitions, 61% correctly matched it to whooping cough; 30% said they weren’t sure, and 8% chose a different condition.
- Awareness of what Tdap covers: Only 43% of respondents chose pertussis/whooping cough when shown a list of diseases the Tdap vaccine protects against. Correct selections were 48% for diphtheria and 53% for tetanus. A sizable share — 35% — reported they were not sure which diseases Tdap protects against. When asked to pick correct and incorrect options from a longer list, 28% named all three correct diseases (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) without selecting incorrect ones. Incorrect beliefs included 13% who thought Tdap protects against polio and 8% who thought it prevents pneumococcal disease.
- Symptom knowledge: The most commonly recognized symptom was the hallmark coughing fits — 77% identified that — but that recognition dropped from 83% in 2024. The share of respondents who said they were unsure about symptoms climbed to 21% (from 14% in 2024). Other correct symptoms were identified less often: low-grade fever (44%), vomiting following coughing spells (29%), and runny nose (27%). Many people incorrectly selected symptoms not usually associated with whooping cough, such as headache (31%) and chills (30%).
- Perceived severity for healthy adults: Fewer than half (44%) now think a healthy adult infected with whooping cough would likely have moderate (34%) or severe (10%) symptoms — a drop from 49% in 2024 (moderate 34%, severe 15%). In this wave, 23% expected mild symptoms and 33% said they were unsure.
A controversial interpretation: could technical jargon and unclear public messaging be fueling complacency? Some experts argue that using clinical names and fragmented vaccine-talk (DTaP/Tdap) weakens lay understanding and reduces urgency. Others counter that simplifying language risks losing scientific precision. Which side do you find more convincing?
About the survey
These findings come from the 26th wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey, a nationally representative panel conducted for APPC by SSRS. This wave included 1,637 U.S. adults and was fielded Nov. 17–Dec. 1, 2025. Most panelists have been part of the survey since April 2021. The margin of sampling error is ±3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Figures are rounded and may not total 100% due to rounding; combined subcategories may not sum to topline totals for the same reason.
What can readers take away?
Whooping cough is resurging in many parts of the country, infant deaths are reappearing in places that had been free of them for years, and public knowledge about the disease and the vaccine remains uneven. The CDC’s vaccine recommendations — routine DTaP for young children and Tdap for adolescents, adults, and pregnant people during each pregnancy — are designed to reduce both cases and severe outcomes, especially in infants who cannot yet be fully vaccinated.
Controversy & comment hook: Are public health agencies doing enough to simplify and amplify messaging about the whooping cough vaccine? Would using plain-language phrases like “whooping cough vaccine” instead of medical terms increase uptake, or would that oversimplify important details? Share your take — do you agree or disagree, and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Annenberg Public Policy Center (ASAPH survey); The Oregonian; Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP); CBS News.
