Vaccinate Children, Teens Against Whooping Cough
Two elementary school students potentially exposed other children and staff to pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory illness which is also known as whooping cough, according to County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) officials.
The two cases reported include: a 7-year-old, who was not up-to-date with vaccinations, and attends Christian Elementary School, East Campus, a private school in the Christian Unified Schools District; and a 9-year-old, who was up-to-date with vaccinations, and attends Urban Discovery Academy, a charter school in the San Diego Unified School District.
“The pertussis vaccine series and boosters are very effective in protecting children and teens against the disease,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Since immunities fade over time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pre-teens, adolescents and adults obtain a one-time Tdap booster.”
Parents who suspect their children may have been exposed should contact their primary care physician. They can also obtain the vaccine series and the Tdap booster shot for themselves and their children through their primary care physicians. Local retail pharmacies offer vaccinations for a fee; anyone who is not covered by a medical insurance plan can get the shot from a County Public Health Center at no cost.
The CDC also recommends that children get the DTaP vaccine series at the following ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years. The ultimate goal is to prevent death that can result as a complication of pertussis. Infants under one year old are especially vulnerable and can develop life-threatening complications.
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.
The two cases bring the total number of cases to 122 in the region to date. A total of 400 pertussis cases were reported locally in 2011.
For more information about whooping cough and ongoing vaccination clinics, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit www.sdiz.org.