Mon., November 29, 2010 2:36pm (EST)

Whooping Cough Has Arrived
By Courtney Ward
Updated: 2 years ago

Family members are being advised to get Pertussis vaccines to protect their newborns (Image courtesy blogher)
Family members are being advised to get Pertussis vaccines to protect their newborns (Image courtesy blogher)
Health officials are urging people around infants to get a whooping cough vaccine. They say the disease is not prevalent is Georgia, but there have been cases in the Southern part of the state. The highly contagious disease is also known as Pertussis. Most infants get vaccinated, but need boosters throughout childhood. Officials say if those around them are vaccinated as well it will decrease the infant’s risk.

Harry Keyserling with the American Academy of Pediatricians says infants are most vulnerable before six months old.

“We’re reinforcing the recommendation that parents around newborn infants and other members in the family need to receive the Pertussis shot. We call this the cocooning method to protect the newborn infant.”

Keyserling says whoopping cough is curently at epidemic levels in California, but not in other states.