Still time to get required immunizations for Kane County schools

Posted March 04, 2012 9:54 pm

Submitted by Kane County Health Department

Most schools in Kane County have already begun their school year and most parents already know that, if their kids have not yet had their required immunizations, they will need to do so soon if they are to stay in school. Among the required immunizations this year include the Tdap for students beginning sixth and ninth grades. The “Tdap” is an acronym for “tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.”

Currently, there is a surge of pertussis, or whooping cough, cases in Kane County, Illinois and across the nation. As of Aug. 27, there have been 72 cases of whooping cough reported to the health department, compared to 54 all of last year. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 1,500 cases of pertussis were reported in 2011, with the majority of cases in children under 18 years of age. The number of whooping cough cases in 2011 increased by more than 40 percent from 2010. As of August 2012, Illinois has already recorded over 1,200 cases. Currently, Illinois ranks fifth nationally with four states having more whooping cough cases than Illinois. These states include Wisconsin, Washington, Minnesota and New York.

Whooping cough is out there. There are indications that it comes in cycles. For example, Kane has had as many as 120 in 2004, and as few as 11 in 2008. Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease. As with the flu, the keys to protecting your family are the same: Wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if you’re sick. And the most important thing to do is to make sure you and all your family members have been vaccinated against both whooping cough and the flu.

Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age. The CDC reports that as many as 40 percent of infants who get it wind up in the hospital. Pertussis, or whooping cough, shots are available from your health provider and at most family pharmacies.

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