Dear Colleague:
We need your help in stopping
the spread of pertussis! Pertussis,
or whooping cough, is highly contagious and spreads
easily by coughing and sneezing. A person with untreated
pertussis can infect others for at least three to four
weeks. Tragically, two infants in our state died this
year from pertussis. Most infants get this disease from
their parents or other family members.
As a health care provider, your
advice plays an important role in your patients'
decision to get vaccinated. Please help us:
·
Surround
infants with a protective "cocoon" of
immunity:
✔ Check
pertussis immunization status of all your
patients.
✔ Vaccinate all
women of childbearing age and postpartum patients
against pertussis.
✔ Offer or make
a referral for pertussis vaccination for all household
contacts and caregivers at least two weeks before the
baby is due.
·
Take
action against pertussis-make sure to:
✔ Test if you
suspect pertussis. Delays in recognizing pertussis can
lead to worse clinical outcomes and increased disease
spread.
✔ Treat for
pertussis. Delays in treatment before and after
hospitalization may increase the risk of fatal
illness.
✔ Report
suspected and confirmed cases promptly to your local
public health department.
·
Track your
patients' vaccination status by using the CHILD Profile
Immunization Registry. The registry
is a secure, web-based system for tracking immunizations
of persons in all age groups. Best of all, it is free to
registered users and can save your practice time and
money. For more information or to register, call the
CHILD Profile Help Desk at 1-800-325-5599 or
206-205-4141 or visit the Web site http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=g7b6tgcab&et=1103873486981&s=10378&e=001mJns-toHgDJt0HrisjaCEJhME5uNkIkOGhFlxvP0UssWd5iMh-z6q3ytIJfznDZvqafUgcqUyh9hNUVRLnjhrYLf3yI9GKdPOCh1Z9c33gJfkKznATq3Gg==.
Communities need a high level of
immunity to reduce the spread of pertussis. Immunity can
wane as early as five years after immunization or
infection. Most young children who get pertussis vaccine
are susceptible again by early adolescence. This is
likely the reason why pertussis continues to circulate;
leading to hospitalizations and deaths of infants who
are too young to get vaccinated.
For more pertussis information,
visit the Department of Health pertussis web page at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=g7b6tgcab&et=1103873486981&s=10378&e=001mJns-toHgDK2zuHzHWyEiRh7U_fhvz7TdFn7H7Zhp1n72g08phA0o6b0H-NgoUKGKnzuRw8tvJWz6s5N_2gZROIBt7Jk_3FA7btQdQIGAl90OYV-L57bRtvru4AlZ9hmPjFVdwXHqpbYTt1KrKxQO-usT_-RbMFQYmhQjdfGIy2r2NZUtZNZKg==.
Sincerely,
Maxine Hayes, MD,
MPH
State
Health
Officer
