Pertussis, or Whooping Cough as it’s commonly known, is on the rise nationally, and also in New York state.
In New York state, outside of New York City, the CDC says so far this year there have been more than 1,400 cases of pertussis, which is more than four times the number of cases at this time last year.
Ontario County has also seen an increase recently in pertussis, particularly among college-aged students.
That’s according to Public Health Director Kate Ott, who said that young children do get required vaccinations in New York state.
“We know that that vaccine wanes, so New York state created a law in their immunization regulation saying that kids going into sixth grade had to get boosted, and they do, but we do still see cases as kids get shot for kids going into 6th grade, but she says health officials still see new cases as children become older adolescents:
Ott said getting vaccinated can help with symptoms. “People who are vaccinated and get pertussis are going to have a much milder case in general, but for people who are naive to vaccine or the disease…you can have a cough for weeks.”
Pertussis symptoms include runny nose, a low grade fever and a mild cough. Ott said that getting antibiotic treatment early, after a person gets infected with pertussis, can make the symptoms less severe.
Ott advised parents that if they or their child has a severe cough or trouble breathing, it’s important to see a healthcare provider right away. She said pertussis can be particularly rough on very young children since their airways are smaller.
“The little ones, the kids who are under a year, can get so sick with this or be hospitalized,” Ott noted. And she said that’s another reason to keep people who are around infants to be vaccinated against pertussis.
