MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile County Health Department is investigating a case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in a child at a local elementary school and is urging families to make sure students’ vaccinations are up to date.
Under the health department’s response, classmates who are not vaccinated must stay out of school until they see a medical provider and complete five days of antibiotics, or until 21 days have passed since the onset of the disease. The school will send letters explaining the process to families whose children attend under religious exemptions from vaccination. The health department did not name the school, and no information identifying the child has been released.
“MCHD is actively working a vaccine preventable illness,” said Dr. Kevin Michaels, health officer for Mobile County. “Families are highly encouraged to review immunization records to ensure students are current in vaccinations. If not, they should discuss with their personal physicians or go to local pharmacy or personal medical clinic for vaccinations.”
What pertussis is
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It spreads easily from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and people can pass it to others before they realize how sick they are.
The illness usually starts like a common cold, with a runny nose, mild cough and sometimes a low fever. Over one to two weeks, it can progress to severe, persistent coughing fits that can last for weeks. According to the health department, those coughing episodes may be followed by vomiting, trouble breathing or the high-pitched “whooping” sound some patients make when they gasp for air after a coughing spell. The long-lasting cough is the reason the disease has sometimes been called the “100-day cough.”
Not every patient whoops. Adults, teenagers and vaccinated children often have milder symptoms, and some infants do not cough much at all but may struggle to breathe, which can make the disease harder to recognize.
Who is most at risk
Pertussis can affect people of any age, but some groups are far more likely to become seriously ill. The health department said those at highest risk include:
- Infants younger than 12 months, especially babies too young to have finished their first series of vaccines
- Pregnant people and their newborns
- People with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD
- Adults older than 65
- People with weakened immune systems
For those groups, pertussis can lead to hospitalization and, in some cases, death. Babies are particularly vulnerable, which is why health officials emphasize protecting the people around them. Infants often catch whooping cough from older siblings, parents or caregivers who may not know they are infected.
Vaccine recommendations
Vaccination is the best protection against pertussis. Young children receive a vaccine called DTaP, which also protects against diphtheria and tetanus, in a series of doses during infancy and early childhood. Because protection fades over time, older children, teens and adults receive a booster called Tdap.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mobile County Health Department recommends:
- Children ages 11 to 12 should receive a Tdap booster as part of their routine immunization schedule.
- Adolescents ages 13 to 18 who have not received Tdap should get one booster dose right away.
- Adults 19 and older who have never received a Tdap booster should get one dose now, followed by a Td or Tdap booster every 10 years.
- Pregnant people should receive one dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, ideally between 27 and 36 weeks, to help protect their newborn.
- Parents, caregivers, school staff and health care workers who are around infants or people with weakened immune systems should make sure their Tdap booster is current.
The vaccine given during pregnancy works by prompting the mother’s body to make antibodies that pass to the baby before birth, giving the newborn some protection during the first months of life, before the baby is old enough to begin the DTaP series.
Why unvaccinated classmates are kept home
Keeping unvaccinated students out of school is a standard public health step when a contagious, vaccine-preventable disease turns up in a classroom. Children who have not been vaccinated are more likely to be infected if they are exposed and more likely to pass the illness on to others, including younger siblings at home.
Antibiotics can treat pertussis and can also be prescribed to people who have been exposed, which helps prevent them from becoming sick or spreading the bacteria. Completing five days of an appropriate antibiotic, or waiting out the 21-day period after the disease began, reduces the chance that an exposed child carries the infection back into the classroom.
What families should do
Health officials offered several steps for parents and residents:
- Check your children’s immunization records and confirm they have received all recommended doses for their age.
- Check your own records. Many adults have never had a Tdap booster.
- If you are unsure of your vaccination history, contact your health care provider to talk about your level of protection against pertussis and other vaccine-preventable illnesses.
- Vaccines are available through personal physicians, local pharmacies and medical clinics.
- Anyone with symptoms, such as a lingering or worsening cough, coughing fits, vomiting after coughing or trouble breathing, should stay home and contact a health care provider right away.
Parents of infants should be especially watchful. Babies with pertussis may have pauses in breathing, may turn blue or may have trouble feeding, and they should be seen by a doctor immediately.
A disease that has not gone away
Pertussis was once one of the most common childhood illnesses in the United States, and widespread vaccination drove cases down dramatically. The disease has never disappeared, however, and it continues to circulate in cycles, with periodic increases in cases. The CDC reported a sharp rise in whooping cough cases nationwide in 2024 compared with the years just before.
Local health officials have also been reminding families about other vaccine-preventable diseases this fall. Earlier in October, the Mobile County Health Department urged residents to check their measles, mumps and rubella vaccination status after a measles case was reported in Huntsville.
The Mobile County Health Department said it will continue working with the school and families as it investigates the pertussis case.
