Whooping Cough Cases Confirmed at Coventry High School

According to a letter from school nurse Deborah Sczuroski sent home with Coventry High School students on Tuesday, two cases of pertussis or "whooping cough" were recently confirmed at the school. The reported cases appeared in one tenth grade student and one twelfth grade student.

Pertussis is a contagious disease that spreads through coughing and sneezing. Pertussis begins with cold symptoms and a cough, which becomes much worse over 1-2 weeks. Symptoms usually include a long series of coughs ("coughing fits") followed by a whooping noise as breath is drawn in. However, older children, adults, and very young infants may not develop the whoop. There may or may not be a fever.  

People with pertussis may vomit, turn blue, or have difficulty catching their breath after coughing. The cough is often worse at night. Cough medicines usually do not help. Pertussis can be treated and prevented after someone is exposed to the disease, with antibiotics. But the best way to protect your child and others from getting pertussis is vaccination. The pertussis childhood vaccine is called Tdap, and the pertussis booster vaccine for adolescents and adults is called Tdap. Both vaccines provide immunity against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Tdap is now required for all students entering Grade 7 in Rhode Island schools because immunity from early childhood pertussis shots typically goes away by late childhood. 

In her letter, Sczuroski suggests the following actions:

1.) If your child has been coughing or shows other symptoms of pertussis, please call your child's doctor or a healthcare provider right away.    

2.) If your child has symptoms, keep him or her home from school AND all other sports and after school activities until you get further instruction from your child’s doctor healthcare provider.

3.) Review your child’s vaccination records with your child’s doctor to make sure that he or she is up-to-date. Free vaccines are available at St. Joseph’s Hospital, 21 Peace St., Providence, during walk-in hours; Monday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday noon to 4 p.m., and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

4.) Update your child’s vaccination record at school.

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HEALTH encourages anyone age 10 or older who has not previously received a Tdap vaccine and lives in Coventry to get vaccinated. It is especially important for the following individuals to be vaccinated:

• Coventry students ages 10 and older who need to receive Tdap (This will meet the Grade 7 vaccination requirement) 
• Pregnant women and anyone in their household (Pregnant women should be at least 20 weeks into the gestation period)
• Anyone in close contact with or caring for an infant less than one year old 
• Anyone with a weakened immune system or other chronic disease (such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, etc.) and anyone in their household 
• Professionals, including school staff, daycare workers, and healthcare workers 
• All adults, including those ages 65 and older 

"The best protection against pertussis and influenza is vaccination," said Michael Fine, M.D., RI Director of Health. "Any child who is not up to date on his or her pertussis vaccination should be vaccinated, and we encourage all unvaccinated adults to get a Tdap vaccine as well."

Parents with questions or concerns are welcome to call the CHS nurse's office at 822-9499 x142.

To learn more about pertussis or whooping cough, visit http://www.health.ri.gov/diseases/pertussis/.