Thread: Latinos Hard Hit By Whooping Cough Epidemic

Latinos Hard Hit By Whooping Cough Epidemic
By Carolyn Salazar

Published October 28, 2010
AP

Oct. 28: Health care experts are urging Latino and other groups to get vaccinated to contain the highly contagious whooping cough.
The Latino community in California has been hard-hit by a recent epidemic of whooping cough that has killed 10 infants, nine of them Hispanic.

The outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, started in May in Fresco, Calif., and has already infected over 6,200 people across the state, making it the largest pertussis epidemic since 1950.

The California Department of Public Health does not break down the whooping cough cases by ethnicity, so there are no figures on the number of Hispanics that have been infected.

But almost all the deaths have been Hispanic infants, and the reason why is still unclear.

“There is no clear reason why Latino infants are impacted disproportionately,â€

I swear, I thought we (US, Canada) wiped out whooping cough when I was a kid. (Yea, I'm showing my age) Is that not correct? All of a sudden I keep seeing ads on TV urging everyone to be innoculated, is this something else we have to thank the invaders for? Bringing back a disease we had conquered?

Originally Posted by nomas

I swear, I thought we (US, Canada) wiped out whooping cough when I was a kid. (Yea, I'm showing my age) Is that not correct? All of a sudden I keep seeing ads on TV urging everyone to be innoculated, is this something else we have to thank the invaders for? Bringing back a disease we had conquered?

that's it exactly , and i had NO idea that the majority of the children who had died were hispanic ...

i think all of the factors are ponting to the fact that this is a diseases that has come from south of the border , but the main stream media doesn't want to give it a heads up .

Originally Posted by nomas

I keep seeing ads on TV urging everyone to be innoculated, is this something else we have to thank the invaders for? Bringing back a disease we had conquered?

Not really. The problem is people not getting vaccinated. If an illegal alien doesn't pass on pertussis someone else will. It is a very contagious disease. It was never conquered; only held at bay by the fence of vaccinations. The folks who have the most responsibility are those who fail to vaccinate their children and influence others to do likewise.

When we enrolled our boys in Public School medical records were required to document they had all required vaccinations. I remember wondering at that time how IA children got passed this requirement.

From what i heard, its "discrimination" to ask for immunization records now days. Can you believe that?
Also, make sure you see your own Dr's to get your own shots, as adults...we need it again! I just got mine a couple of months ago.....You won't have to get it again after that.