Amador County – California is in the midst of the largest whooping cough outbreak in 50 years. Six infants under 3 months of age have died from the disease this year and 1,500 Californians have been positively diagnosed, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). South Carolina is the only other state where reported cases exceed what is known to health experts as the “epidemic threshold.” California health officials attribute the epidemic to a lack of administered vaccinations, particularly among younger children entering a school environment. Infants typically get three doses of the vaccine but are not fully protected until after 5 months. Babies are particularly susceptible because they have no natural immunity to whooping cough. “We usually see an up tick in the number of whopping cough cases every 2 to 5 years,” said Joanne Hasson, Amador County Public Health Nurse. “It’s cyclical and not unusual.” In anticipation of the outbreak, Amador County has stocked up on TDAP, the most common vaccine for the highly contagious disease. Hasson said the youngest children get a slightly different formulation. She said a lot of people have been coming in for vaccinations recently, mostly for what is known as “cocooning.” The “cocoon” strategy aims to protect newborn infants from becoming infected by administering the TDAP vaccine to women who have just had babies and family members and friends who make frequent contact with the newborn. In order to successfully avoid infection, Hasson said children should receive vaccinations at 2, 4 and 6 months, 15 to 18 months and a final shot between 4 to 6 years old. “Basically, kids should get five valid doses before the age of seven,” she said. 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. Amador County Public Health department is providing whooping cough vaccinations for a $10 fee. For more information, call the department at 209-223-6407 or drop in during normal business hours at 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. The vaccine is available for people of any age. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010 06:08
Whooping Cough Epidemic Hits California
Amador County – California is in the midst of the largest whooping cough outbreak in 50 years. Six infants under 3 months of age have died from the disease this year and 1,500 Californians have been positively diagnosed, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). South Carolina is the only other state where reported cases exceed what is known to health experts as the “epidemic threshold.” California health officials attribute the epidemic to a lack of administered vaccinations, particularly among younger children entering a school environment. Infants typically get three doses of the vaccine but are not fully protected until after 5 months. Babies are particularly susceptible because they have no natural immunity to whooping cough. “We usually see an up tick in the number of whopping cough cases every 2 to 5 years,” said Joanne Hasson, Amador County Public Health Nurse. “It’s cyclical and not unusual.” In anticipation of the outbreak, Amador County has stocked up on TDAP, the most common vaccine for the highly contagious disease. Hasson said the youngest children get a slightly different formulation. She said a lot of people have been coming in for vaccinations recently, mostly for what is known as “cocooning.” The “cocoon” strategy aims to protect newborn infants from becoming infected by administering the TDAP vaccine to women who have just had babies and family members and friends who make frequent contact with the newborn. In order to successfully avoid infection, Hasson said children should receive vaccinations at 2, 4 and 6 months, 15 to 18 months and a final shot between 4 to 6 years old. “Basically, kids should get five valid doses before the age of seven,” she said. 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. Amador County Public Health department is providing whooping cough vaccinations for a $10 fee. For more information, call the department at 209-223-6407 or drop in during normal business hours at 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. The vaccine is available for people of any age. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Latest from
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