Lamar Middle School has received notice of six cases of pertussis this school year.
Austin American-Statesman
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been spreading in Central Texas.
Lamar Middle School parents received a notification from Austin Public Health that the school has had six cases since the beginning of the school year. Five other schools have had cases.
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“We we want to highlight that pertussis is something that everyone in our community should be aware of and take precautions against,” said Austin Public Health spokesperson William Malm.
Pertussis is a preventable illness for which people are vaccinated against. It is especially dangerous for infants before their first birthday, people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women.
This calendar year through September, there have been 115 known cases of pertussis in Austin-Travis County, a 35% increase from 2024. More than half have been in school-age children.
Malm said that some of the increase in cases also might be an increase in reporting after Austin Public Health recently did an education campaign to local health providers about symptoms, risks and reporting the virus.
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Vaccination rates also have dropped among school-age children. Last school year, only 74.31% of kindergartners and 85.26% of seventh graders in the Austin school district were up to date on their TDAP vaccine. To achieve herd immunity, a community needs to hit 95% vaccination rates.
When should you get vaccinated for pertussis?
The vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, known as the TDAP vaccine, is given in five doses early on: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and then 15-18 months and 4-6 years. At age 11-12, a sixth dose should be given.
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Pregnant women should be given a TDAP vaccine in their third trimester.
Any adult who has not been vaccinated just needs one shot.
What are the symptoms of pertussis?
Early symptoms of the disease look like a common cold: low-grade fever, mild cough and runny or stuffy nose.
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Later symptoms include coughing fits with or without a “whoop” noise when someone gasps for air after coughing, as well as vomiting after coughing, feeling tired, difficulty sleeping and broken ribs from coughing.
Babies and young children can have difficulty breathing even if they don’t have a cough.
How long can pertussis last?
The early symptoms last one to two weeks. Then, usually by the second week, people develop the cough with the “whoop” sound. That stage can last an additional one to 10 weeks.
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In the final stage, people might feel better, but their lungs are susceptible to infections for many months.
When should a parent take a child to the doctor?
Seek care if your child has been exposed to someone with pertussis and they have developed a cough or if child has a persistent cough longer than 10 days, which is often worse at night.
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