A vaccination clinic will be held today to distribute vaccines to treat pertussis, better known as whooping cough.
Indiana County was named an outbreak area by the State Department of Health after they say they got word of 45 confirmed or probable cases that were reported in school districts in Indiana County. The department also announced that there are additional cases that are under investigation.
Pertussis is an infection of the respiratory system that starts out with cold-like symptoms and later on, those infected will develop severe coughing spells that end in “whooping” sound when the person breathes in after a coughing fit.
Nate Wardle of the Department of health said that Pertussis is especially dangerous to infants or children that have not had the proper immunizations.
Wardle added that they are continuing to investigate how the outbreak happened.
The vaccine offered today that the clinic is a Tdap shot, which covers not just acellular pertussis, but tetanus and diphtheria. The clinic will run from 2-6 today at the Indiana County State Health Center at 75 North 2nd Street from 2-6 this afternoon.
