Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.
------------------------------------------------------------
May 24, 2002
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Whooping Cough Hits Yet More Kids"
Vancouver Province (www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince)
(05/22/02) P. A13; Grindlay, Lora
In British Columbia, 27 children in the South Fraser area have contracted pertussis, better known as whooping cough. There was an earlier outbreak of the disease in the Fraser Valley area of British Columbia at the beginning of May, although Dr. Larry Gustafson, the associate medical health officer with the South Fraser public health unit, says there is no proven connection so far between the two outbreaks. Gustafson added that a vaccine is the best way to prevent the disease, which is extremely dangerous for babies and can have a negative effect on teenagers and adults. Nevertheless, an increasing number of parents are not allowing their children to be vaccinated against whooping cough, because of the vaccine's supposed side-effects and risks.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.