Whooping cough vaccine offered to comply with new law

After widespread cases of pertussis — better known as whooping cough — were reported in 2010, California lawmakers passed legislation requiring whooping cough immunization booster shots for middle- and high school-age students.
That law goes into effect this summer. For the fall, all students entering seventh through 12th grades will be required to provide proof of immunization before they attend classes. After this year, whooping cough vaccination will continue to be mandatory for all boys and girls as they enter seventh grade.
Debbie Ruskin, nurse for San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, said the district already requires whooping cough immunizations for children entering kindergarten.
“But by the time they get to seventh grade, it’s worn off,” she said.
To help parents get their sons and daughters vaccinated, Ruskin said, the district has partnered with the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency to offer a free whooping cough vaccination clinic May 26.
Ruskin said that the clinic, which will be at the Performing Arts Center at San Lorenzo Valley High School from 1 to 5 p.m., will be open to students county-wide, but she expects mostly students from the valley will attend.
“My hope is that it will be largely SLV kids, but if students from Scotts Valley come, they won’t be turned away,” she said.
Ruskin said it was fortunate the event came together, considering the county’s budget constraints, coupled with the fact that the health agency was already scheduled for a similar event May 25 at Shoreline Middle School in the Live Oak area.
“We got the county to put up 120 vials of the immunization, and the county is broke,” she said.
Students wishing to be vaccinated must arrive at the clinic either with a parent or with a signed parental consent form, Ruskin said. Forms are available at the high school and middle school offices.
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If you go
WHAT: Free pertussis vaccination clinic
WHEN: 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 26
WHERE: San Lorenzo Valley High School Performing Arts Center, 7105 Highway 9, in Felton
DETAILS: Students who will enter seventh through 12th grades anywhere in Santa Cruz County in the fall can get free whooping cough booster shots with a parent’s consent. The booster is mandatory for the coming school year.
INFO: San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, 336-9526