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Tuesday January 24, 2012
Aboriginal Health Pertussis Problem Stó:lō offers free Whooping Cough vaccinations Submitted by Rebecca Middleton, Stó:lō
Pertussis (whooping cough) causes very severe coughing that may last for months. Whooping cough is very contagious and can be a severe illness in those without proper immunizations. Whooping cough spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or laughs. After the bacteria infect someone, symptoms appear about 7 to 14 days later. You may not know that you have the infection and can spread it during this time.
Early
symptoms are like a cold (sneezing, runny nose, a low fever and a
mild cough). But over the next week or two, the cough gets worse
leading to longer coughing spells that often end with a “whoop” or
crowing sound when the person breathes in. The coughing may be so
bad that it makes a person gag or throw up. Sometimes a thick, clear
mucous is spit out. The cough can last up to a month or two, and
happens more at night.
© Copyright (c) 2011 The Valley Voice
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you may have heard, pertussis (whooping cough) has surfaced in the
Fraser Valley, including Chilliwack. Stó:lō Nation Health Services
(as well as the Chilliwack Health Unit via Fraser Health) will be
hosting free vaccination clinics.