Whooping cough vaccination clinic to be held in Indiana Co.

INDIANA, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Health will hold a whooping cough vaccination clinic in Indiana County.

The walk-in clinic will be at the Indiana County Health Center at 75 North 2nd St. in Indiana on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

"Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a very contagious and serious disease of the respiratory system," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. "However, whooping cough is preventable with a vaccination, which is why we encourage everyone to be vaccinated. We are holding this clinic in order to help ensure that the entire community is protected from this disease, which can be fatal, particularly in infants."

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Forty-five confirmed or probable cases of pertussis have been reported in school districts in Indiana County to date, with additional cases under investigation, according to the department.

In addition to the typical childhood series of pertussis immunizations at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months, and a booster at 4-6 years, the department recommends the adolescent/adult pertussis vaccine, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, or Tdap, booster for:

• Individuals 10-64 years of age who are not fully immunized;
• Pregnant women during each pregnancy, preferably between 27 and 36 weeks gestation. Women who have never received Tdap and who do not receive it during pregnancy should receive it immediately postpartum;
• People who have contact with pregnant women or infants too young to have received a full series of vaccinations; and
• All family members and caregivers of infants who are not old enough to get vaccinated against pertussis.

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