Redlands Unified Presses Point About Pertussis Vaccine

As thousands of students prepare to head out for summer break, Redlands Unified School District is already gearing up for the next year by putting out firm reminders that all children must be immunized against Whooping cough.

“Whooping cough (pertussis) has been widespread in California,” school district officials wrote in a letter sent out to parents. “Many students have had to miss school because they were sick. To help protect your children and others from whooping cough, a new California law now requires students to be vaccinated against whooping cough.”

Nearly all students entering seventh through 12th grades will need proof they have been given a whooping cough booster shot or Tdap before starting school, district officials said. However there are exemptions for verified medical conditions and personal beliefs, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Starting in the 2012-13 school year, only students entering seventh grade will need proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster shot (Tdap) before starting school.

Students who do not have proof they received a Tdap booster shot will not be able to start school until proof is provided to the school, schools officials said. The tetanus‐diphtheria booster shot, Td, will not meet the requirement.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the requirement for the vaccination into law before he left office.

“With more than 7,800 confirmed cases and the deaths of 10 infants, California experienced its worst outbreak of Pertussis in more than 50 years," said Dr, Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health.

"Protecting the health of California’s youth is one of our most urgent priorities. This new legislation will help us achieve our goal,” Horton said in a press release.

To avoid delaying a student from starting the school year, the district urges parents to:

• Make an appointment with your child’s doctor or clinic to get a Tdap booster shot now.
• Bring proof of your immunization to school immediately. Be sure to keep the written proof of your child’s Tdap booster shot in a safe place.

The school district does provide information for parents on its website.