New Law Requires Students to Get Whooping Cough Vaccine Within First Month of the School Year

Thanks to a new law aimed at heading off a whooping cough outbreak, seventh- to 12th-graders must have the vaccine in order to stay in school.

Along with backpacks, binders, and pens, keep “pertussis vaccine” at the top of your back-to-school list. If your child will enter grades 7 through 12, you need to provide proof of the shot according to a state law.

Last week, both houses of the state Legislature approved a law that would give parents and students until 30 days after school starts to show proof of vaccination against whooping cough. Without it, they won’t be allowed to stay in school.

The new law actually grants a 30-day extension for the vaccination because an earlier law would have required students to be vaccinated by the first day of school. However, school and health officials found that many students around the state weren’t on track to have the vaccination by the first day of school.

The vaccine requirement aims to prevent another outbreak of pertussis—known as whooping cough—which surged to epidemic proportions in California in 2010. More than 9,000 cases of pertussis were reported in California, the highest number in more than 60 years. In a distinction we could do without, more than half of all pertussis cases in the U.S. occurred in California last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When a student is vaccinated, he/she will receive a certification from the physician that the parent brings to school for verification.

"It is just like the same requirement we have for new students registering in the district for all other required immunizations," said Chris Eftychiou, spokesman for Long Beach Unified School District.

"Each school nurse is monitoring students' T-dap immunizations.  They are maintaining running lists as verification it was received," he added.

LBUSD says that for students to be in compliance with Assembly Bill 354, all students entering 7th through 12th grade will need proof of the Tdap booster shot beginning July 1, 2011. This can be met by receiving one dose on or after the child's 10th birthday. Students need to bring their immunization records to the Wilson or middle school nurse to verify having had the Tdap vaccine. Questions? Call 562-997-6181.

Tdap is available through many local healthcare providers and at the L.B. Health Department. Appointments for low-cost vaccines at the Health Department may be made by calling 562-570-4315.  More info here: http://www.longbeach.gov/health.

Pertussis begins with coldlike symptoms—low fever, runny nose, sneezing and mild cough. The illness progresses to severe fits of coughing that can last for months and that can make breathing difficult.  A high-pitched “whoop” follows the paroxysms of coughing. Highly contagious, pertussis was responsible for 10 deaths in California last year; nine of those victims were infants younger than 2 months old.

The required Tdap booster shot protects your child from pertussis, as well as diphtheria and tetanus. Most children had initial Tdap shots before starting school at age 5 or 6. The immunity from these shots wears off after several years, which is why the booster is required now.

If your child hasn’t had the Tdap booster, there’s still time, but don’t delay. Call your child’s doctor to check on availability of the Tdap booster. Appointments for a shot only are often quicker and easier to get than being seen for illness. 

The booster is available at many pharmacies, including Rite Aid pharmacies such as the one at 5670 E. Second Street, in Naples, where the cost is $57.95 if not covered by insurance.