TULSA, Okla. — Flu season is here, but did you know it's also whooping cough season?
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. It's a disease that mainly affects children who have not yet completed the vaccination series and adults whose immunity has faded. However, adults can get the disease too.
It's mainly known for causing a severe cough that has barking and whooping-type sounds but it can also come with a runny nose, congestion, fever, and watery, red eyes.
Dr. Meilan Han, a pulmonary diseases specialist, is working to bring awareness to whooping cough says the cough can be so violent that it can lead to vomiting, broken ribs, passing out, and even hospitalization.
“It can be the cause of patients having a cough for months. So people get the initial illness can’t figure out why they’re not getting better; they just keep coughing and coughing and they will end up in my office.”
Dr. Han tells 2 News this is the time to be aware since last summer into fall is the prime season for this disease.
“It’s also flu season so when people are thinking about getting these fall vaccinations," says Dr. Han. "Flu, for instance, there’s also the omicron COVID booster that's out now. They need to add Pertussis to the list of those vaccinations.”
Dr. Han says adults make up the majority of cases because they forget to get boosters and their immunity wears off. She urges adults to get a whooping cough booster shot every 10 years.
Dr. Han also says you can get the flu, COVID, and Pertussis shots all at once.
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