Brookline urges pertussis shots after 15 cases of whooping cough diagnosed in local public-school students

The Brookline Department of Public Health today urged parents to ensure their kids have been vaccinated against pertussis - and adults to get a shot if it's been more than ten years since their last one - after 15 cases of the illness, also known as whooping cough, were diagnosed this month, mainly in students at Brookline High School but also in one student at the Runkle School.

The department says pregnant people in their first trimester in particular should get a Tdap shot because the bacteria is particularly harmful to babies.

The department reports:

On June 5, Brookline High School notified the Department of Public Health and Human Services of a positive case of whooping cough at the high school. At that time, the Public Schools of Brookline, in coordination with the Department of Public Health and Human Services, notified all families and provided guidance to Brookline High School and the Runkle School, where one additional case was identified.

At this time, 15 total cases have been identified in the Town of Brookline.

The department adds:

Pertussis is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and a person’s breathing. It is easily spread from person to person and, while usually mild in older children and adults, can often cause serious illness in very young children and infants. Pertussis can be spread by droplets from the nose, mouth and throat and can be sprayed into the air when a person coughs, sneezes or talks. The first symptoms appear about 7-10 days after a person is exposed.

At this time, we feel that the public health risk is low, however with the school year ending, we feel it is important to update the community about the situation and steps our residents can take to avoid exposure to Pertussis and other illnesses

The department adds somebody can become infected even if properly vaccinated - it says 99% of seniors at Brookline High were, in fact, vaccinated.

Pertussis progresses in three phases, starting with cold-like symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, and cough that last for one to two weeks and slowly worsen, followed by strong, uncontrolled coughing spells that can be accompanied by a "whooping" noise during inhalation. Severe coughing spells may impede breathing, causing a person to become blue in the face due to lack of oxygen (hypoxia).

Once somebody comes down with whooping cough:

Antibiotic treatment is generally recommended. People with pertussis are infectious one week before until three weeks after the cough starts or until completion of five days of antibiotic treatment.