October 2024 – Many Treasure Valley parents have been notified of cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, at their child’s school.
Here’s what to know:
- Pertussis is a very contagious respiratory illness.
- The illness may begin like a common cold, but unlike a cold, the coughing can last for weeks or months. It is known as the ‘100-day cough.’
- Infants and young children who are not fully immunized are most at risk for pertussis and its potentially serious and deadly complications.
- Pertussis is spread by respiratory droplets and can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, or sharing breathing space for extend periods of time
- Some key features of pertussis include severe coughing fits, vomiting after coughing and the absence of a high fever. Infants might have the classic “whooping” sound when they breathe in or even turn blue or stop breathing.
- Anyone can get pertussis as time passes since their last booster shot. Unfortunately, immunity does not last forever with the vaccine.
- Treating whooping cough early with antibiotics may make the infection less serious.
- Antibiotics are mainly provided for pertussis in order to decrease the spread of disease to others. You must quarantine at home for 5 days until the antibiotics are completely taken.
If your child has a coughing illness and has had a close contact with someone with pertussis, then it is important to talk to their pediatrician or primary care provider right away. Patients can also be evaluated at Primary Health Urgent Care and Pediatric Urgent Care clinics, where we have the testing and resources available to help guide you with the next steps.
About Vaccination
Whooping cough vaccine is available at all Primary Health clinics. Schedule a pertussis vaccine for children two months to 10 years old with their family doctor or pediatrician. Patients age 11+ can be scheduled with their regular provider or walk-in to any Primary Health Urgent Care clinic .
More info here: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/index.html