Free Whooping Cough Vaccinations Offered for Children, Caregivers of Infants

Note: This is a press release from Multicare Health Systems about local health resources. Read more about the rise of pertussis in Pierce County .

With whooping cough on the rise in Pierce County, it's a good time to take advantage of free vaccinations for children and teens, and for anyone caring for infants younger than 1.

In Pierce County, 15 of the 18 pertussis cases reported in July were diagnosed through labs at MultiCare Health System. The ages of the patients ranged from 29 days to 62 years. Of those cases, one child was admitted and treated. The others were treated in clinics or Emergency Departments.

The MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center Mobile Immunization Clinic travels throughout Pierce County and provides all back-to-school immunizations recommended by the CDC, including whooping cough vaccines that are free for children and for anyone caring for infants younger than 1. There are no fees and no insurance co-pays. These vaccines are completely free. Call 253-792-6630 to make an appointment, or find a nearby walk-in clinic at the Mobile Immunization Clinic's website.

“People might not be aware that pertussis is not an illness that affects only children,” said Susan Gustafson, RN.

Gustafson is an Infection Preventionist at MultiCare Health System, which includes Tacoma General, Allenmore and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, as well as Good Samaritan Hospital and Puyallup and numerous health clinics in four counties.

“Even people who have been fully vaccinated, they’re not protected forever,” Gustafson said. “It’s estimated that by the time kids graduate from high school, they’re no longer protected by their childhood vaccinations. So everyone really should be re-vaccinated with the adult pertussis vaccine, even if they have had it in the past.”

Additionally, summer is the perfect time to get a jumpstart on childhood vaccinations required by the state before schools starts again this fall. Children are due for a series of immunizations between the ages of 4 and 6, and again at between the ages of 11 and 12.

“The most important thing to understand is that there are risks to not immunizing your child -- there’s a real danger,” said Carolyn Cook, RN, who provides free vaccinations at the MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center Mobile Immunization Clinic. “ I recommend that all children be immunized against all 14 serious diseases that the CDC recommends.”

For teens younger than 19 who are about to head off to college this fall, the CDC now recommends a second dose of meningitis vaccine. Additionally, the vaccine for HPV (human papillomavirus) is available for both girls and boys. These vaccines are also free of charge.

“Vaccine recommendations change quickly based on new recommendations that we have,” Cook said. “So if your last shots were five years ago, the recommended vaccination schedule might have changed since then. So it’s a good idea to get updated.”