Amador County – The Amador County Public Health Department is encouraging residents to attend one of a series of upcoming vaccination clinics designed in part to prevent rising rates of whooping cough throughout the state.

Diane Evensen, the department’s health educator, said there were 5,272 reported cases of the virus in California as of Wednesday, up drastically from 3,834 cases approximately one month before. There are currently no cases in Amador County.

“Vaccinations are so important for the prevention piece of the puzzle,” she said. “Pertussis is tragically lethal to infants, and the sad thing is it’s completely preventable.”

She said rates are highest in infants under six years of age because their young systems have yet to develop a natural immunity to the virus. Infants typically get three doses of the vaccine but are not fully protected until after 5 months.

Known medically as pertussis, the disease is considered incredibly contagious, affecting close to 90 percent of those exposed to it, says the CDC. Close to 70 percent of infants under age 1 are hospitalized. According to state reports, the number of whooping cough cases tends to peak every two to five years. Symptoms of pertussis include flu-like symptoms, such as runny nose, sneezing, fever and a mild cough.

“Vaccination is the best prevention measure that we have, hands down,” she said.

The most common vaccine for whooping cough is TDAP, and Evensen said her department is offering it as part of a series of flu vaccination clinics to occur through November. She also encouraged individuals of all ages to get the standard flu vaccine.

“We’ve started FluMist vaccinations for all public schools, and so far only about 50 percent of the students have been vaccinated,” she said. She said minors are not allowed to get the flu vaccine without parent consent.

When questioned about whether the low vaccination numbers are of concern to her department, Evenson said it is still early in the season and these figures do not rule out the possibility that “kids have gone and seen their own private medical providers.”

For a complete list of upcoming flu vaccine clinics at the Amador County Public Health Department, visit them online, call 209-223-6407, or drop in during normal business hours at 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. Each vaccine shot costs $10.

Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.