Whooping Cough Diagnosed at West Chester Elementary School

The following is letter from Superintendant Dr. Jim Scalon about the whooping cough "outbreak."

Dear Parents,

I am writing to provide parents with information about Pertussis (also known as Whooping Cough).  There have been reports in the news recently about Pertussis.  During the month of January we have had sporadic reports to the School District by the Chester County Health Department.   In cases where the reports were confirmed, letters were sent home to parents in the schools. 

We were informed by the Chester County Health Department on Tuesday January 31 that a second case of Pertussis was confirmed at .  When two or more cases are identified at one location, it is considered to be an “outbreak” at that site.

It is important to note that when an outbreak occurs, students, faculty, and staff who are not up to date with the Pertussis immunizations will not be allowed to attend school.

We have identified the Hillsdale students who were not vaccinated and will be working with the Department of Health to provide those vaccinations.  

For any parent who wants to have a child vaccinated, the Chester County Health Department offers free vaccinations for children under the age of 18 on the following days:

o   Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 4pm

o   Wednesdays from 11 am to 6pm

It is essential that you bring a copy of your child’s immunization records.  The Tdap is also available free of charge for adults.

According to the Chester County Health Department:

• Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Pertussis begins with cold symptoms and a cough that becomes much worse over 1-2 weeks.
• Symptoms usually include a long series of coughs (coughing fits) followed by a whooping noise.  However, older children, adults and very young infants may not develop the whoop.  There is generally no fever.
• People with pertussis may have a series of coughs followed by vomiting, turning blue, or difficulty catching their breath.  The cough is often worse at night and cough medicines usually do not help alleviate the cough.  The disease can be very severe and, although deaths are rare, they do occur, especially in infants less than one year of age.
• Immunizations provide a high degree of protection for children and adults.  Children should receive (5) doses of DTaP vaccine before they start school.  A booster is given after age 11.  Adults need a Pertussis booster(Tdap).  Promptly consult your physician if you or your child is not fully immunized.

Please consult your physician if you have any questions regarding your child’s immunization status, need for preventative treatment, or if your child develops any symptoms of Pertussis. 

If you want more information about Pertussis, please visit the Chester County Health Department website.

For a fact sheet about Pertussis, please visit the CDC website.

Thanks for everyone’s cooperation as we work through a lengthy cold and flu season.

Dr. Jim Scanlon

Superintendent

West Chester Area School District