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Whooping cough cases have increased in the district over the past couple of months.
The health unit says the District is currently below the provincial average but they expect to see the trend of rising cases continue.
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection. Infants and older adults are particularly vulnerable and are more likely to experience severe illness and require hospitalization.
Routine immunizations are effective and safe in preventing many infections, including pertussis.
The health unit is asking parents and caregivers, pregnant individuals, and older adults to keep themselves and their children up to date with routine immunizations.
“It is important to get routine vaccinations as close to the recommended times as possible; however, it is never too late to get protection that immunizations provide against illness (including pertussis),” said the health unit in a release.
Protection against pertussis and other infectious diseases (like polio and tetanus) is included in the Ontario routine immunization schedule.
The health unit offers school vaccine clinics for students, and routine vaccines are available from health care providers.
If you do not have a health care provider then you can reach out to your closest health unit office.
To learn more about whooping cough click here.
