“STOP WHOOPING COUGH” EVENT TO BE HELD APRIL 28

“STOP WHOOPING COUGH” EVENT TO BE HELD APRIL 28

Event to Focus on Importance of Immunizations in Protecting Kids’ Lungs

In recent years, pertussis (whooping cough) cases have reached their highest levels in decades in San Diego County. To educate people about the importance of infant and toddler immunizations, local public and private health organizations are holding a Stop Whooping Cough event on April 28, during National Infant Immunization Week (April 25-May 1).

The threat to children’s health posed by pertussis and other vaccine-preventable diseases is taken seriously by the County.

“Whooping cough often makes infants so ill they need hospitalization just to breathe, “ said First District Supervisor Greg Cox. “There’s a financial toll, too: in 2002 pertussis cost our County almost $1 million for hospitalization alone. Timely immunizations are a simple and effective way to reduce the occurrence of all vaccine-preventable diseases, keeping kids healthy and in school.”

The event, to be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Episcopal Community Services Head Start Program, Montgomery School, 3240 Palm Ave., San Diego, will feature kids blowing bubbles, singing songs, and performing other activities to show the importance of keeping lungs healthy.

This year, the event will be celebrated in conjunction with a similar event held in Tijuana to highlight the importance of cross-border teamwork in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. Also during the week, physicians’ forums will be held in San Diego and Tijuana. These events, and others throughout the state, country and hemisphere, reflect a partnership between local, state, national and international health organizations to promote Vaccination Week in the Americas, a recognition of the importance of childhood immunization.

Pertussis is spread person-to-person through coughing, and close contact, and is especially dangerous for young infants. Parents can protect their infants and toddlers from pertussis and other serious childhood diseases by making sure their children get all of their shots on time. Parents need to call their child’s doctor and have the child’s shot record checked for missing shots. Parents can also call the Baby Shots Line at (619) 692-6600 during business hours to review the child’s shot record and get a referral to a local clinic.