Think you have whooping cough?
• Stay home.
• Review your immunization records.
• Contact your health care provider.
• If diagnosed, children will need to be taken out of school until they’ve completed five days of antibiotics.
Source: Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment
The number of whooping cough (or pertussis) cases in Weld County has skyrocketed in recent years, causing Windsor school officials to alert parents of the signs and symptoms.
According to a notice sent to parents April 4, there have been recent cases of pertussis at Windsor Middle School and Windsor High School. The illness is spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs and another individual breathes in the bacteria, according to the notice. Whooping cough begins with a cough and can lead to coughing fits, vomiting and breathlessness.
It is treated with antibiotics and symptoms usually develop seven to 10 days after exposure.
Weld County first started seeing a large increase in whooping cough cases last May. The total number of cases for 2012 was 83. The year before, in 2011, there were only six, said Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment epidemiologist Jo Peden.
As of late March, Peden said there have been 20 cases of whooping cough reported in Weld County this year.
One theory is the pertussis vaccine given in 2004 or 2005 is starting to weaken and wane.
The health department urges people who have not looked into getting a booster shot to do so immediately.
“If you are taking care of children or you have children, you really should get the vaccine. That’s imperative,” said Eric Aakko, spokesman for Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment. “If you’re sick, stay home and go to the doctor so they can do a test. And cover your cough. Always cover your cough.”
Michelle Scallon, Windsor High School principal, said she’s not sure how many cases of whooping cough there have been at either school because they are reported directly to the health department.