Are your shots up to date? Vancouver Coastal Health is warning Squamish residents to be sure they are protected with the vaccines for whooping cough (pertussis) as the number of cases in the corridor continues to rise.
So far this year the number of people infected is twice the historical average, a news release from the health authority stated. Seventy per cent of those infected were 18 years old or younger.
Whooping cough can include a nasty and long-lasting cough that comes in fits and can endure for months, according to Mark Lysyshyn, medical health officer for the Sea to Sky area.
“It can make people feel unwell for a long time,” he said.
The respiratory illness spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or laughs.
A cluster of cases has been identified in Squamish specifically, according to Vancouver Coastal Health, but the organization is not releasing exact numbers in order to protect the identity of those involved, a spokesperson said.
The vaccine is part of the immunization schedule in B.C. and requires several vaccination doses, which means some people might miss doses and leave more people at risk for the illness.
“People’s immunization status for pertussis is not perfect, because it is more difficult to be perfect,” Lysyshyn said.
Immunizations for whooping cough are given at two, four, six and 18 months, between four and six years of age, and in Grade 9. A single adult dose of the vaccine is also recommended.
Lysyshyn stressed that people shouldn’t panic. The number of cases hasn’t been extreme and they haven’t been diagnosed in the very young.
“We haven’t been seeing it in infants,” he said, adding none of the cases have been in children under five years old.
To confirm previous immunizations contact Squamish Public Health at the Squamish Community Health Centre: 604-892-2293.
