Whooping Cough at Great Valley High School

The Chester County Health Department has confirmed a case of Pertussis at , according to a letter the school district sent to parents Thursday.

We have been informed by the Chester County Health Department that an additional case of Pertussis (whooping cough) has been confirmed in a student at Great Valley High School. Additional precautions are necessary within the high school to decrease the potential for additional cases.

• High school students who have not had the Tdap vaccine will not be permitted to return to school until 21 days from the last exposure or until they received one dose of Tdap.

The letter explains that vaccination, which requires five doses of DTaP and a Tdap booster after age 11, is administered to children free of charge at a county clinic.

According to the National Institutes of Health website, Pertussis is a serious disease that is especially dangerous to infants:

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe.  A deep "whooping" sound is often heard when the patient tries to take a breath.

The full letter sent to parents by the Great Valley School District superintendent, Alan Lonoconus, is attached to this article.

Click here to learn more on the symptoms and warning signs of Pertusis in a report on NBCPhiladelphia.