Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Information for Media and General Public

Media Releases

• September 14, 2010

  As of today, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department has reported 348 cases of pertussis (Whooping Cough) to the California Department of Public Health. As numbers continue to rise here, and across the state, the county continues to announce new clinics hoping to vaccinate those still at risk for pertussis – particularly teens and those who care for infants. A booster dose of Tdap is routinely recommended at ages 11-12.

  The FREE Tetanus, Diphtheria and acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine clinics are open to individuals 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER and require NO APPOINTMENT . Approximately 2800 doses have been provided at similar clinics to date.

  Please see the entire media release for clinic dates, times and locations. 

• August 10, 2010
  As of today, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department has reported 279 cases of pertussis (Whooping Cough) to the California Department of Public Health. As numbers continue to rise here, and across the state, the county continues to announce new clinics hoping to vaccinate those still at risk for pertussis – particularly teens and those who care for infants. A booster dose of Tdap is routinely recommended at ages 11-12.

• The FREE Tetanus, Diphtheria and acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine clinics are open to individuals 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER ONLY and require NO APPOINTMENT .

  
  Please see the entire media release for locations and times.
  

   

• August 3, 2010
  

  As pertussis (Whooping Cough) cases continue to rise in San Luis Obispo County and across the state, the San Luis Obispo County Health Department has partnered with California Department of Public Health and other local agencies to host several FREE clinics around the county.
  
  The FREE pertussis vaccine clinics are open to individuals 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER ONLY and require NO APPOINTMENT . Please see the entire Media Release for locations and times

• July 29, 2010

  As of today, San Luis Obispo County’s Pertussis count has reached 269 confirmed, probable and suspect cases. Of those, eleven have been infants under one year old, and two of those infants have been hospitalized. Hoping to prevent further spread of this epidemic, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and local Health Officials continue to emphasize vaccination.

  Recently, the State of California released new recommendations for pertussis immunization due to the outbreak. In addition to the typical series of childhood pertussis immunizations, CDPH now recommends an adolescent-adult pertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for:

  • anyone 7 years and older who is not fully immunized, including persons aged 65 and older,
  • women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy, and
  • other people who have contact with pregnant women or infants.

   

  San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is making vaccine available to anyone in the above groups at its three locations in Paso Robles, Grover Beach and San Luis Obispo by appointment. Additionally, the Department has partnered with CDPH and local first responder agencies to host several FREE clinics at other locations around the county.

  Please click on this link to read the entire release and details about the FREE clinics

   

• July 22, 2010
  As the number of pertussis cases in San Luis Obispo continues to rise, the California Department of Public Health along with local Health Officials emphasize that the key to controlling Whooping Cough is vaccination. As of July 21, the County’s Public Health Department has received reports of 258 confirmed, probable and suspect cases. According to the California Department of Public Health, this puts our county in the top two for numbers of pertussis cases. Only Marin County has reported more cases.

• May 21, 2010
  This week, San Luis Obispo County continues to see increased numbers of pertussis cases (otherwise known as Whooping Cough). On April 29 ^th we reported the investigation of several cases. Since that report, the County’s Public Health Laboratory has confirmed 32 cases and surveillance indicates clinical cases in many additional individuals. One infant is currently hospitalized in a pediatric ICU out of the county.

• April 29, 2010
  

  The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is investigating several laboratory confirmed pertussis cases in the community.

  Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can be fatal to young infants. Symptoms of pertussis in adolescents and adults range from mild to severe. The Public Health Department is urging anyone with the following symptoms to seek attention from a medical provider immediately. Symptoms include cough lasting longer than 2 weeks, increasing in severity, episodes of sudden, severe coughing and vomiting after coughing. Infants who are ill may become pale or dusky blue during a coughing episode and may even stop breathing for a short period of time. Possible complications include pneumonia, seizures, sepsis and encephalopathy.