Two Rivers Public Health Department, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY- A student at Kearney High School, that was fully vaccinated, has recently contracted Pertussis (Whooping Cough).
Whooping cough is an infection that affects the airways easily spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing. Whooping cough can cause a severe cough that lasts weeks or months. Anyone can get whooping cough, but can be especially dangerous for babies and people with certain health conditions.
Two Rivers Public Health Department, in conjunction with Kearney Public Schools, will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation. If you have not received a Tdap vaccine in the last 7 years it is recommended to speak to your primary care provider about your risk. Two Rivers Public Health Department, as well as clinics and pharmacies, offer the Tdap vaccine.
If there is close contact exposure to an affected person, you should see your health care provider as soon as possible to determine need for testing or antibiotic
treatment.
1. If your child has a cough:
• Keep your child home from school and activities
• Make an appointment with your child’s doctor as soon as possible and tell the doctor that your child may have been
exposed to whooping cough.
2. If your child has a health condition that may be worse with whooping cough, such as asthma, ask your child’s doctor to prescribe antibiotics to your child as soon as possible. Doctors should give antibiotics to a child with certain health conditions if they may have been exposed to whooping cough, even if he or she is not coughing.
3. If your child lives with any of the following people, ask your child’s doctor to prescribe antibiotics as soon as possible to your child, even if he or she is not coughing:
• A woman who is pregnant
• A baby younger than 12 months old
• Anyone with health conditions that may be worse with whooping cough, such as asthma.
4. if your child has been diagnosed with whooping cough by his or her doctor:
• Tell the school that your child has been diagnosed with whooping cough.
• Ask your child’s doctor for a note that states your child has whooping cough.
5. If your child’s doctor says your child does NOT have whooping cough:
• Ask for a doctor’s note saying your child’s cough is NOT whooping cough and that your child can return to school and other activities at any time.
