So, whooping cough or "pertussis" is now being labeled as an "epidemic" in the state of California. WOW! According to the CDC, this year the cases reported as of 6/15 was 910 as opposed to 219 last year at this same time. Most commonly affected are infants and children. Currently, 5 infants have died from it this year. I'm not pushing vaccines, that's a personal and family decision, but do your homework. There are vaccines available for children, parents as well as health care providers which are currently being recommended by the California Department of Public Health. It is a highly contagious condition, so take precautions if you think you may be infected. How will you know? Coughing and runny nose at onset (1-2 weeks). The cough may linger, even after a few months and is characterized by a "whooping" sound. Not sure what that sounds like? There are links online that have audio clips, it sounds like the person is gasping for air, which they technically are, I suppose. TAKE CARE! Back in a few with more of the latest.
Thanks to EGPNews.com for some stats and info for this post.
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