Nevada public health agencies urge residents to get vaccinated for Pertussis

Due to the recent increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Carson City, Douglas and Lyon Counties, the health departments in those communities are reminding members of the community to get vaccinated.

The Disease Control and Prevention Division at Carson City Health & Human Services (CCHHS) oversees disease surveillance and investigations in all of the affected counties and is currently investigating the cause for the increase in reports of the disease. Vaccination against pertussis is the best way to protect babies, children, preteens, teens, adults against the illness according to CCHHS.

The childhood vaccine is called DTaP, and the pertussis booster vaccine for preteens, teens, and adults is called Tdap. Children should get 5 doses of the DTaP vaccine, one dose at each of the following ages:

- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 15-18 months
- 4-6 years

There is a catch-up immunization schedule available for persons aged 4 months through 18 years who start late or who are more than 1 month behind. Tdap vaccines are available for anyone over the age of 11 years old, including pregnant women. A catch-up schedule as well as vaccine schedules for all ages is available on the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/.

Families can check their immunization records by visiting the State of Nevada’s immunization registry NV WebIZ at https://izrecord.nv.gov/public or by contacting your immunization provider .Residents can get vaccinated by contacting their healthcare provider or by visiting one of the following locations:

Carson City Health & Human Services
900 East Long Street, Carson City, NV, 89706
Walk-in immunizations are available every Thursday from 8:30-11:30am & 1:00-4:30pm.
Call (775) 887-2195 for more information.

Dayton Community Health Clinic
5 Pine Cone Road, Suite 103, Dayton, NV, 89403
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am-5:00pm, Closed for Lunch from 12:00-1:00pm.
Call (775) 246-6211 for more information.

Douglas County Community Health
1329 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville, NV, 89410
Walk-in immunizations are available every Monday from 1:00-4:00pm.
Call (775) 782-9038 for more information.

Fernley Community Health Clinic
555 E. Main Street, Fernley, NV, 89408
Hours: Monday – Thursday 7:00am-5:30pm, Closed for Lunch from 12:30-1:00pm.
Call (775) 575-3363 for more information.

Yerington Community Health Clinic
26 Nevin Way, Yerington, NV, 89447
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Call (775) 463-6539 for more information.

For more information about pertussis, visit the Health Department web page http://gethealthycarsoncity.org/pertussis-whooping-cough/ or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web page https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/.