Latest news with #Diphtheria
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Pasadena resident tests positive for whooping cough after Kidspace Children's Museum visit
A Pasadena resident tested positive for whooping cough after visiting the Kidspace Children's Museum in late April, according to public health staff. The resident visited the museum between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, April 25. The Pasadena Public Health Department advised families who visited the Kidspace Children's Museum during that time frame to monitor for symptoms for up to 21 days and to be wary of increased coughing severity or breathing issues, especially in young children or infants. PPHD staff said early signs of whooping cough resemble symptoms of a cold, mainly sneezing, runny nose, and a mild cough. It is typically accompanied by a low-grade fever, less than 100.4 degrees, with the cough worsening over one to two weeks. Severe coughing may cause gasping, vomiting or trouble breathing. Infants may not develop a cough but could turn red or blue, gag or stop breathing. Residents who visited Kidspace during the time frame should contact their healthcare provider if anyone in their household develops a persistent cough or cold symptoms. Anyone who becomes sick should stay at home until cleared by a doctor or after five days of appropriate antibiotic treatment. Babies and pregnant women should avoid contact with sick people. Infants, pregnant women and caregivers of infants are considered high-risk contacts and may need preventative antibiotics even if they do not show symptoms. PPHD staff recommends that children, pregnant women and caregivers are up-to-date on their Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccines. Kids who are either 11 or 12 years old and pregnant women should also receive their boosters. Pasadena offers vaccinations from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Monday and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Boston Globe
23-02-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Elimination of nonmedical exemptions have improved Maine's childhood vaccination rates
Under state law, all kindergarten students in a public or private elementary school must have the following vaccines: Diphtheria/Pertussis/Tetanus (DTaP), Poliomyelitis, Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) and Varicella (VAR). Advertisement In 2019, Maine passed a law that eliminated religious and philosophical exemptions in response to Bangor Daily News . Since then, annual vaccination data shows that exemption rates have dropped across the board for the four required vaccinations. The exemption rate for the polio vaccine dropped from 5 percent in 2019-20 to 0.6 percent last year. Before the law went into effect, Maine had one of the highest opt-out rates in the country: it was A student who isn't vaccinated can still be enrolled in school under certain conditions: a parent or guardian provides written assurance the student will be vaccinated within 90 days; a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant provides a written statement noting that immunization may be medically inadvisable; or students have an individualized education program that began before September 2021 that included a philosophical or religious exemption. Last year, 19 schools had kindergarten exemption rates above 5 percent (it's worth noting that in some of these schools class sizes are quite small). Advertisement Ashwood Waldorf School, in Rockport, had the highest vaccine exemption rate for kindergartners last year at 33 percent – four out of 12 students. Jeremy Clough, school director, said all four of the exemptions last year were temporary and at least two of the students are now caught up on their vaccines. These temporary medical exemptions often apply to new students who were previously homeschooled and are behind on their vaccinations. Clough said most of the conversations he's had with families about vaccines involve explaining the law. 'There's really no pushback that the families can have because it's like, 'Here's the law and … you either need to be caught up or you need to talk to your health care provider,' " he said. He said it's helpful that there's no gray area in the law. 'We're not doctors,' he said. 'I feel like we have no idea what is appropriate medically for anyone. What we know how to do is educate children. So yes, I think it is helpful to have something that's very clear.' Jay Corbin, teaching principal of Penobscot Community School, agreed that the law makes conversations more straightforward. He said there wasn't much resistance from families when the nonmedical exemptions were eliminated and he doesn't anticipate more pushback going forward. Penobscot Community School had among the highest exemption rates last year at 14 percent, but that was due to one exemption out of seven kindergartners. Corbin said the school has historically had high vaccination rates. The county with the highest exemption rate for kindergartners last year was Piscataquis County at 3.7 percent. Sue Mackey Andrews, who was a national consultant to health and education departments for 25 years and now is active in public health efforts in Dover-Foxcroft that include childhood vaccine initiatives, said she was surprised the exemption rate wasn't even higher in her county because Piscataquis has historically had low vaccination rates. Advertisement One factor Mackey Andrews pointed to is the lack of access to health care. The closest pediatrician may be in Bangor, which could make it hard to keep kids up-to-date with their vaccines. She said she has also seen the In the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mackey Andrews said there's been a 'dramatic increase' in homeschooled families in the region. 'I suspect that some of it, at least, is vaccine related,' she said. Mackey Andrews said she would urge people who have concerns about vaccines to listen to their doctors and ask questions. 'That's a lifelong, perhaps critical, decision that you're making,' she said.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Washington sees first whooping cough death in over a decade
This story was originally posted on Health officials have confirmed the first pertussis, also called whooping cough, death in Washington since 2011. The Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) announced, via a news release Wednesday, a Spokane County resident under the age of 5 died in November 2024. Officials said the death was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week. SRHD stated that although whooping cough was confirmed as the cause of death, there were other factors involved, such as the child did not complete the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP) vaccine series. It added that pertussis is a preventable disease through vaccines. Pertussis, according to health officials, can cause severe coughing fits, often followed by a 'whooping' sound when the person inhales. The disease can be especially dangerous for infants, young children and people with compromised immune systems. Health officials stated whooping cough can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death. CDC: Washington saw 2,232% spike in whooping cough cases in 2024 Vaccine recommendations regarding whooping cough SRHD urged residents to verify their family is up to date on pertussis vaccinations to help stop the spread of the disease, noting 92-94% of the population needs to be up to date on their vaccinations to achieve community-wide protection. DTaP vaccines are recommended for children at 2, 4, 6 and 15-18 months old and then again at 4-6 years old. A Tdap booster shot is then recommended for those aged 11-12 and every 10 years thereafter. Expecting mothers should receive a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, ideally between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, to protect newborns, officials stated. 'We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our condolences to the family,' Dr. Francisco Velazquez, health officer for Spokane County, said via the release. 'This death serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vaccination, especially for those who are most vulnerable, including infants and young children. We encourage all community members to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, as the best way to protect yourself and others from pertussis is through immunization.' SRHD said it is working with healthcare providers to increase testing for people with whooping cough signs and symptoms. It also said it is ramping up efforts to provide information and resources on vaccination and disease prevention to the community. 'We all play a role in keeping our community healthy, and vaccination is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent the spread of pertussis,' Velazquez said via the release. For more information on vaccines, visit SRHD's website.
