Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/May 19, 2016 – Pertussis (whooping cough) continues to spread in the Bancroft area. As of May 19th, 9 cases of pertussis have been identified in the Bancroft area, and cases of pertussis have been confirmed at North Hastings High School (NHHS). To encourage vaccination to reduce the spread of this infection, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) provided an immunization clinic for students at NHHS on May 18. In addition, immunization clinics are being offered at Bancroft Public Health office, 1 Manor Lane, as follows:
May 20th from 10am – 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm
May 25th from 10am – 6pm
All members of the community who are not vaccinated are encouraged to take advantage of the above-mentioned clinics and help reduce the spread of pertussis. Regular immunization also continues to be available throughout the HPEPH catchment area as identified in the table below. No appointment or payment is required for these clinics.
While anyone can get pertussis, it is most dangerous for children under one year of age. Adults and older children that are around infants and young children should be vaccinated. Children who have not received immunization against pertussis, or whose immunization is incomplete, are at increased risk of developing the disease. For more information, please speak to your health care provider or call HPEPH.
Pertussis typically begins with a runny nose and cough. The cough may become more frequent and severe after the first 1-2 weeks. The cough may end in gagging, vomiting, or trouble breathing. Sometimes, after a coughing attack, a child may give a loud “whoop” when breathing in, which is why the infection has been called “whooping cough”. Pertussis is spread easily through droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing by an infected person. Pertussis is most contagious during the first two weeks after coughing starts.
Please contact your health care provider if you or your child develop signs of pertussis.
If your child is diagnosed with pertussis, please contact your school and call the HPEPH Communicable Disease Program at 613-966-5500 ext. 349. Your child will need to be started on antibiotics immediately and is required to stay home from school for five days after starting the antibiotics to help reduce the spread of infection.
Any client questions regarding this or other vaccinations should be directed to the Immunization Intake Line: 613-966-5500 ext. 313.
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About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) operates one of 36 health units across Ontario. HPEPH provides dozens of programs and services, along with reliable health information, to a population of approximately 150,000 people in a 7,000 square km catchment area encompassing 17 municipalities. HPEPH’s mission is to enable the people in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties to achieve and maintain optimal health through health protection and promotion, as well as disease and injury prevention. For more information, please visit www.hpepublichealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Bill Sherlock, Program Manager, Vaccine Preventable Disease
Cell: 613-919-8160
Email: BSherlock@hpeph.ca