Marin Public Health Recommendations
It is most critical for ill persons who are either high risk or may expose someone who is high risk to be evaluated by their health care provider. Persons considered at “high risk” of pertussis include infants (< 1 year old), pregnant women (especially in the third trimester), and anyone who spends time with infants or pregnant women. Health care providers may prescribe antibiotics to treat ill individuals or to prevent illness in healthy high risk household members who have been in contact with a person who is sick.
- Vaccinate infants, children, adolescents, and adults according to the ACIP schedule and implement cocooning around infants. Most importantly, pregnant women should receive the Tdap vaccine between 27-36 weeks of pregnancy to protect infants.
- Think pertussis. If other household members are or have been recently sick with a respiratory illness, particularly if with violent coughing fits and vomiting after coughing, discuss with your health care provider. People who have been vaccinated for pertussis often present with mild symptoms.
- If you or your child is sick with pertussis, prevent spreading the illness to others by:
- Staying at home until at least 3 days of antibiotics are completed, or if the sick person did not receive antibiotics, stay at home until 21 days since the cough started.
- Coughing and sneezing into the elbow, not the hand. Use tissues and put used tissues in the waste basket.
- Wash hands frequently.