Back-to-school reminder about Pertussis

Pertussis (Whooping cough)

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that is spread short distances through the air by droplets when infected people cough. The period of communicability is 21 days if left untreated. The characteristic symptoms, a long series of coughs followed by a whooping noise, are more common in very young children and less common in older children, adolescents and adults. You cannot identify pertussis by the characteristics of the cough alone.

Adults, teens, and vaccinated children often have mild symptoms that mimic the common cold, bronchitis or asthma or present as cough only. There is generally no fever.

It is important that students who have a cough are evaluated before returning to school.  The following procedures for Pertussis-related symptoms will be followed in our schools.

• Students that present to the health office with a cough will be asked to put on a mask.
• If the student has an acute coughing illness or the student has been coughing for more than one week, the student:
  • Will be instructed to put on a mask immediately.
  • Must be sent home. Please make sure contact phone numbers are up to date.
  • Must be tested for Pertussis.
• In order to return to school the student:
  • Must have a negative Pertussis test, which can take up to 5 days OR
  • Must be on the antibiotics to treat Pertussis for 5 days. They may return to school on the 6th day.
  • A copy of their prescription must be received in the health office upon return.

Please see the fact sheet from the Iowa Department of Public Health and feel free to contact the Scott County Health Department or the school health office for more information.