Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak
Summary
Louisiana had its worst whooping cough outbreak in 35 years, but health officials delayed public warnings for months. This delay in communication during a serious health event prevented timely measures to protect vulnerable people, particularly infants who are most at risk.Key Facts
- Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious disease preventable by vaccine.
- The Tdap vaccine is recommended for pregnant women to protect newborns who can't be vaccinated until 2 months old.
- Louisiana experienced a significant rise in whooping cough cases beginning in September 2024.
- Two infants in Louisiana died from whooping cough by late January 2025.
- State health officials did not quickly alert the public or health professionals, taking two months to issue social media warnings and longer for broader alerts.
- Delays in communication during outbreaks can lead to more infections.
- On February 13, 2025, Louisiana's state surgeon general stopped promoting vaccines publicly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became the U.S. health secretary.
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