Health

Immunizations Protect Against Pertussis

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Two elementary school students are the latest pertussis cases in the county bringing the 2012 total to 21, County Health and Human Services Agency officials reported today.

“Immunity from vaccinations can decrease over time, which is why childhood immunizations should never be skipped and why teenagers and adults should get a booster,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “The goal is to prevent infant deaths due to whooping cough. Young children are especially vulnerable to the disease because they have no immunity to it.”

No whooping cough deaths were reported in California in 2011, but in the 2010 epidemic there were a record 1,144 cases, which included two infant deaths.

Parents can obtain the vaccine series and the Tdap booster shot for themselves and their children through their primary care physician. Local retail pharmacies offer vaccinations for a fee, and anyone who is not covered by a medical insurance plan can get the shot from a County Public Health Center at no cost.

A typical case of pertussis starts with a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, followed by weeks to months of rapid coughing fits that sometimes end with a whooping sound. Fever, if present, is usually mild. The disease is treatable with antibiotics.

For more information about whooping cough and ongoing vaccination clinics, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit www.sdiz.org.

The cases which potentially exposed others to the disease are:

  • A 10-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Hamilton Elementary School in the San Diego Unified School District.
  • A 6-year-old who was up-to-date on immunizations and attends Miller Elementary School in the Escondido Union School District.
Yvette Urrea Moe is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact