Schools
40,000 Students in San Diego County Still Need Whooping Cough Vaccination
Public health officials held a press conference on Friday urging parents to get their children vaccinated before the start of the school year.
A new state law requires all seventh- through 12th-grade students to provide proof they’ve had a vaccination for pertussis, more commonly referred to as whooping cough, to enroll in school this fall.
An estimated 40,000 students in the county, 21,000 of whom belong to San Diego Unified School District, have a 30-day grace period from when school begins to submit proof. However, public health officials say parents should comply with the new regulation as soon as possible.
“Wait no longer, act now, said Bill Kowba, superintendent of San Diego Unified School District. “This is vital for academic, health and fiscal reasons.”
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Since funding for schools is based on attendance records, Kowba stressed the potential economic impact of students missing school because of a failure to meet the new requirement.
The new regulation was passed in response to what’s been declared an epidemic. In 2010, whooping cough cases reached a record high of 1,141 in San Diego County, nearly tripling the previous record and causing two infants under 3-months-old to die. San Diego County has seen 335 cases this year.
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“This is a highly contagious disease,” said County Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten. But the vaccine is 80 percent to 85 percent effective.
She later added, “For those that have the vaccine and still contract it, the symptoms aren’t as severe.”
Two La Jolla schools appear to be ahead of the curve. and noted their compliance rates were well over 90 percent, both schools chalking up the high percentage to information campaigns that included emails and packets sent to parents earlier in the year. La Jolla High and Muirlands Middle School were unable as of Friday to give data as to how many students have met the requirements.
Parents can get the vaccine from their primary care physician or at some pharmacies. For those without insurance, the county is offering vaccination clinics. The closest clinic for La Jolla residents will be held at Mission Bay High School on Aug. 26, 29 and 30. Click here for a full list of clinics around the county.
Symptoms of whooping cough typically include a cough and runny nose for two weeks, followed by coughing fits with a distinctive “whooping” sound that can last several months.
According to Dr. William Tseng, a member of the San Diego County Medical Society, many children receive vaccinations for whooping cough between two months and 6 years of age, but immunity against the illness wanes, making vaccination after age 10 necessary.
“As a parent and doctor, this is the most effective way of preventing the disease,” Tseng said.
