W. Middlesex school officials offer shots to prevent whooping cough

STAFF REPORT

WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. — School district officials are dealing with an outbreak of whooping cough by offering shots to pupils and to adults as well.

The district mailed notices home to parents that the shots will be available in the high school and the elementary school throughout the day Nov. 24.

Thomas Hubert, school board president, said he is not certain how many cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, there are. The outbreak began in the elementary school two months ago, when one pupil there came down with the illness, he said.

Hubert said Thursday night that as far as he knows, the district is conducting school as usual. He said he had not heard otherwise from the superintendent.

The notice the school district sent home outlines criteria for getting the shots at school.

Pupils can get them at either school, though adults who want them should go to the high school from 5 to 7:30 p.m. that day.

Only people who haven’t already received their TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) booster should get the shot.

It’s also restricted to people between age of 10 and 64. Younger children should go to their family doctors, Hubert said.

Here’s who should not get the shot: pregnant women, children who have had a tetanus shot in the last five years and adults who have had one in the last two years, and anyone who has had a previous reaction to vaccines.

Whooping cough is an infection of the respiratory system that is characterized by coughing spells that often end with a whooping sound, though not all do.

Symptoms are similar to a cold: runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, low-grade fever.

The illness is highly contagious and is treated with antibiotics.

The school district is urging anyone with symptoms to go to their family doctor.