Local doctor talks about whooping cough after schools notify parents of an increase in the disease

    Monday, 16 September 2024 07:00

    By Tonya Organ

    Doctor Shanda Slipp says this disease  isn’t talked about much thankfully to vaccinations and is caused by a bacteria.

    Parents in the west coast district received an email recently from NL Schools concerning Whooping cough, or pertussis. Local Doctor Shanda Slipp says this disease  isn’t talked about much thankfully to vaccinations and is caused by a bacteria. Most common in children and starts with cold and flu symptoms that last for a week followed by the distinctive “whooping cough.” 

    Slipp says it’s a harsh, powerful, almost violent cough and was called the Hundred Day Cough, because it can last 2-3 months. It is also very contagious and the vaccine has been around since the 1940’s. Slipp says it spreads very easily to people who are only partially vaccinated or undervaccinated due to their age. Babies are vaccinated at 2,4,6,18 months and again at preschool and kids get one in grade nine. Slipp says we all should  be getting a booster every ten years. She says today’s tetanus shots contain the vaccine. Slipp says there have been 230 cases in NL so far this year when they normally see only 20 or less.  There is a massive upsurgence in Quebec right n

     

     

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