Whooping cough vaccine shots to be mandatory for many California students

With the recent increases of whooping cough, a new law requires students entering 7-12th grade in San Mateo County to have a vaccination before next school year. This new law will affect close to 55,000 students in the San Mateo area.

Before enrolling in school, each student be be required to show proof of their vaccine. Failure to present a form showing they have received immunization of pertussis (whooping cough) will result in the failure to attend school until the vaccine is received.

The only two instances in which a student will be exempt are existing medical conditions or parental beliefs.

While no individual vaccine exists for whooping cough, students are required to have a Tdap shot. The shot includes vaccination of tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough.

The severe whooping cough outbreak last year throughout California caused officials to implement this new requirement.

Whooping cough typically causes violent coughing that often sounds like the individual is making a “whooping” sound, specifically as lungs lose air.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that the illness is typically fatal for infants.

For more information, parents are urged to visit ShotsForSchool.org.