Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Information
A California law requires 7th through 12th graders to show proof they have received the Tdap booster shot for pertussis (whooping cough) before they can attend classes. AB 354 was passed as a result of the 2010 statewide pertussis epidemic.
Named for the "whoop" sound children and adults sometimes make when they try to breathe in during or after a severe coughing spell, whooping cough usually starts with cold or flu-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, fever and a mild cough. These symptoms may be mild and brief, or last up to two weeks, but are often followed by severe coughing fits that may be associated with vomiting. Fever, if present, is usually mild. Whooping cough is treatable with antibiotics.
Please click on the links below to learn more:
For Parents
- County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency – Latest Updates
- Whooping Cough is on the Rise in California – Protect Your Baby
- About Whooping Cough
- Pertussis – What You Need to Know
- Pertussis Disease – Questions and Answers
- About the Vaccine
For Clinicians
- CD Brief: 2010–A Peak Year for Pertussis in California
- Slide Set: CDPH June 2010 California/ Pertussis Update
- Slide Set: Effectiveness of Postpartum Tdap Immunization in California Hospitals
- Flyer: Pertussis is Peaking: Take Action! (also available in Spanish)
- CDPH Quicksheet: Pertussis
- AAP Web Site: Pertussis in Young Infants
Know the symptoms of pertussis (whooping cough).
