Kate,
A few thoughts and facts from the PHLS. I think use of effective PPE seems most sensible course of action.
Whooping cough
Efficacy of pertussis vaccine wanes with time so that attack rates up to 50% may be
 found in children 5 years after vaccination (100% in unvaccinated)
Generally whooping cough in an adult is not as severe as in the very young. Notifications seem to be the lowest in the past 2 decades so perhaps the risk is not so high.
Influenza
The current guidance of the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) concludes that "Immunisation of fit children and adults, including health care and other key workers, is not recommended as a
routine" and "the final decision as to who should be offered immunisation
 is a matter for the patient’s medical practitioners…". This allows doctors locally to recommend immunisation if they think it necessary in the light of the particular circumstances.
Flu vaccinations are 70-80% effective
Christine Rajah



Kate Venables wrote:

> Dear All - are you any of you offering immunisations to research nurses working on respiratory infection projects?  I have had a query including the following:  "We are starting a number of studies soon, which involve our nurses (total number 6, all University employees) taking nasophargngeal aspirates from children with respiratory infections, main clinical symptom cough. Two of the infections we expect to find amongst our children are influenza and whooping cough.
>
> One of our nurses has raised the issue of whether the University should be offering them immunisation for influenza and whooping cough. Would you be able to meet with her individually and do you think the University should offer immunisation advice to all 6 nurses, given the proximity to these infections"
>
> It's a risk assessment question - what do others do/think? - best wishes - Kate