The Kenosha County Health Department urges residents to get vaccinated for pertussis (whooping cough) and seasonal flu.
Pertussis is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal bacterial lung infection which has dramatically increased in the past decade. It spreads from person to person through coughs or sneezes. Pertussis causes severe coughing spells (which can last four weeks or longer) making eating, drinking, and breathing difficult. Pertussis can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or death. The Health Department recommends that adults and children 10 through 64 years who will have close contact with a baby (such as parents, grandparents under 65, siblings, and childcare providers) should receive a single dose of the Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
This year, both the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older receive the flu vaccine. Especially people at high risk of serious flu complications (including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease), those who care for or live with them, health care workers, and people 65 years and older should get the flu vaccine.
Both vaccines are available from the Kenosha County Health Department at two locations:
- Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, Kenosha, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and first Thursday of every month, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Kenosha County Center, Highways 45 and 50, Bristol, Monday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. to noon.
The Kenosha County Health Department will also be holding special Tdap/Flu clinics:
- Tuesday, Nov. 30, 4 to 6 p.m., Kenosha County Center.
- Thursday, Dec. 2, 4 to 6 p.m., Kenosha County Job Center.
- Thursday, Dec. 9, 4 to 6 p.m., Kenosha County Job Center.
Medicare Part B and BadgerCare are accepted. Please bring immunization records (if available) and a BadgerCare Card (if enrolled). An administrative fee for the vaccine may apply for those not in either program.
For more information, please call the Kenosha County Health Department at 605-6700, (800) 472-8008, or visit http://www.co.kenosha.wi.us/dhs/Divisions/Health/.
