Next year students entering seven through 12 grades will need to
get a new vaccination before they can start school, according to a
new state law that goes into effect July 1. Every year after next
year, all students entering the seventh grade will need to get the
immunization.
Next year students entering seven through 12 grades will need to get a new vaccination before they can start school, according to a new state law that goes into effect July 1. Every year after next year, all students entering the seventh grade will need to get the immunization.
The vaccination is a response to a large growth in pertussis, or whooping cough, cases in the past few years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most recent numbers show that more than 17,000 cases of whooping cough were reported throughout the country in 2009, affecting mostly infants and teens.
In 2010, 10 infant deaths were reported in California, and state authorities declared it an epidemic. The state Assembly approved bill 354 last year to help prevent future deaths.
In San Benito County, eight cases were reported, an increase from one that was reported in 2008, county public nurse Allison Griffin said. Two cases to infants have been reported in the county this year.
But the actual number could be much larger because of unreported cases, she said.
“A lot of these type of case are unreported because people don’t see their doctors,” Griffin said. “I’m sure there are more of them.”
Whooping cough symptoms include a runny nose, low-grade fever and rapid deep coughs that are followed by a high-pitched “whoop,” according to the CDC. The disease can lead to death if untreated because of exhaustion and the inability to breathe normally.
The bill makes the “Tdap” shot mandatory for every student entering the seventh grade. For one year only, all students from seventh to twelfth grade will need to take the shot to start school, San Benito County Director of Nursing Jeanne Melius said.
The “Tdap” is a vaccination that protects against whooping cough, tetanus and dipheria. It’s a continuation shot that toddlers are expected to get between ages four to six, Melius said.
To help parents give their children the vaccination, nurses from the county’s health department are making stops at each middle and high school in the county throughout the rest of the year.
Each school will give a release form to every parent to allow students to get their shots at school, Melius said. Students must bring back the release form to get the shots.
The vaccinations are free for low-income families and $17 for others.
From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday at 439 Fourth St. in Hollister, the health department will hold appointment-only vaccination clinics for families that wish to get the vaccination.
For more information contact the Public Health Division at 637-5367 or visit www.shotsforschool.org.
