Whooping Cough is a highly contagious disease and according to health officials, has reached “epidemic levels” in the state of Washington.
By the end of March, that state had 640 cases compared to 94 last year at this time. At this rate, it could put Washington “on pace to have the highest number of recorded cases in decades,” according to the health department’s press release.
So far, there are no reported deaths. The last reported death from whooping cough was in 2024, where two people died.
The highly contagious disease is preventable through a series of vaccines. It is recommended children begin receiving the series as early as 2 months old and finish the round by the age of four or six years of age. Once the initial series of shots are completed, a child does not need to receive the booster shot until they are at least 11 years old. It is recommended to receive the booster every 10 years after that during adulthood.
A recent study that researched the outbreak in California in 2024 found that immunized children between eight and 12 years old were more likely to catch the bacterial disease than kids of other ages. This suggests the childhood vaccine wears off as kids get older. (more…)
