NATIONAL INFANT IMMUNIZATION WEEK
La Paz County, AZ- La Paz County Health Department is
pleased to announce National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW); an annual
observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from
vaccine-preventable diseases, April 26th-May 1st. Whopping cough (pertussis) is a fast growing
concern in the United States and Arizona where rates are at an all-time high
since 1950. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease that causes severe
coughing in all ages, but it is more likely to kill infants. The Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-acellular
pertussis vaccine) is the best way to protect against pertussis but vaccination
rates are staggering low among the group that spreads it the most: adults.
“56% of infant pertussis cases can be traced back to an
adult spreader because only 14% of adults were vaccinated for pertussis in 2012
,” said Diana Grazier, Director of Nursing for La Paz County Health Department.
“In order to protect the youngest in our communities, adults should come in for
a Tdap vaccination, especially if they are pregnant, live with an infant or
care for an infant.”
Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing
which often makes it hard to breathe. After fits of many coughs, someone with
pertussis takes deep breathes which result in a "whooping" sound.
Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal,
especially in babies less than 1 year of age. Each year, 10,000 to 40,000 cases
of pertussis are reported. Out of those cases, many lead to hospitalization.
Infants are at greatest risk for getting pertussis and then having severe
complications from it, including death. About half of infants younger than 1
year old who get pertussis are hospitalized, and 1 or 2 in 100 hospitalized
infants die.
“Infants are especially vulnerable. That’s why we target the
adults in order to create a cocoon of protection,” said Grazier. Adults need
just one Tdap vaccination and La Paz County Health Department has it. Tdap is
$40 at the health department or free to adults with no insurance but it is in
limited supplies so please call ahead, 669-1100. Residents can also talk to
their healthcare provider about the Tdap vaccine. For more information, visit
www.lpchd.com.
