Vaccination Clinics Open For Whooping Cough Cases in Pa.
A growing number of whooping couch cases in Delaware County has prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Health to set up vaccination clinics.Whooping cough -- or pertussis, as it's known medically -- is respiratory system infection and is characterized by severe coughing spells.
State health department spokeswoman Holly Senior says Pennsylvania is not dealing with a whooping-cough epidemic, unlike California:
"The pertussis cases that we are seeing in the state are typically between the ages of 8 and 12. We just want to remind that age group in particular to get immunized."
They're offering booster shots tomorrow, August 25th, from 9am-11am at the State Health Center in Chester, and again on August 30th from 3pm-7pm at Penn State Brandywine in Media.
The health department says the whooping-cough booster is recommended for:
- individuals 10-64 years of age who are not fully immunized
- women who may become pregnant, before or immediately after pregnancy
- people who have contact with pregnant women or infants too young to have received a full series of vaccinations
- all family members and caregivers of infants