Case of whooping cough confirmed at Tates Creek High School. What should those exposed do now?

Parents of Tates Creek High School students are being notified of a confirmed case of pertussis, or whooping cough.

The case at Tates Creek is the first confirmed case in Lexington in 2019, according to a Lexington health department release.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness spread by coughing and sneezing, according to the release. It affects people of all ages but can be most serious in infants and those with chronic diseases.

Infants and children should receive five doses of the whooping cough vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months, 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years of age, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. A booster dose is given to preteens at 11 to 12 years old.

The Lexington health department is recommending preventive antibiotics for high-risk students who were exposed to whooping cough. This includes students with a chronic illness or weakened immune system and those who live in households with a family member with a chronic illness or weakened immune system, an infant or a pregnant woman.

Any school-age children with symptoms of whooping cough should stay home from school and visit their health care provider for evaluation, even if they have previously been vaccinated, according to the health department. Those found to have probable or confirmed whooping cough should remain out of school until completion of their antibiotics.

For more information about pertussis, call 859-288-2437.

This story was originally published January 14, 2019 at 5:50 PM.