(Mason City) – The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, Iowa Department of Public Health and schools within the county are working together to provide free Tdap vaccine available this fall to protect students from pertussis.
Cerro Gordo County continues to have sporadic cases of pertussis (whooping cough) reported within its communities. The illness is highly contagious and can cause severe and prolonged coughing spells. The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated. People 10 years of age and older should receive a dose of Tdap if they have not already received one.
The Iowa Department of Public Health is in the process of making changes to the Iowa Administrative Code to require a Tdap vaccination for adolescents enrolled in a secondary school. It is anticipated that the requirement will be in effect at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. The new code is intended to require adolescents entering seventh grade to have one dose of Tdap vaccine.
In an effort to protect students from pertussis and in preparation for the possible upcoming school requirement, the Cerro Gordo County Public Health will provide the Tdap vaccine free of charge for students in grades 5-12 at their school this fall. A letter and consent form was sent home with students or directly e-mailed to parents over the past two weeks. Parents wanting to have their child vaccinated with the Tdap vaccine should complete the consent form and send it back to their child’s school by October 19, 2012.
“We highly encourage all students in grades 5-12 that have not received a dose of Tdap vaccine take part in the program,” explains Karen Crimmings, Disease Prevention and Investigation Service Manager, Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health. “It provides a convenient and cost saving opportunity for students to be vaccinated against pertussis.”
For more information about immunizations, please visit our website at www.cghealth.com or call (641) 421-9321.
