MONTGOMERY COUNTY — More cases of whooping cough have parents worried in the Miami Valley.
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Just in September three schools have confirmed positive cases.
Since July 27th, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County has reported 46 cases of whooping cough, and the majority of the cases diagnosed were among teens.
More than half of the cases involved students who attend school or enrolled in daycare.
Last Friday, Kettering Fairmont High School reported a case of whooping cough.
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Oakwood City Schools sent out a warning to parents about whooping cough symptoms.
“Please get your shots, it’s so important. And you’re sacrificing because you have to think of the other people you’re coming into contact with. So important, you know. Not for you but for other people,” said Mark Haufe, who lives in Dayton.
Some parents are worried about whooping cough, influenza, and other respiratory infections, so, they want to keep up with their vaccines, like Elaine Greene.
“I had my booster for this year and my flu shot. And so has my grandson,” Greene said.
Greene believes the lack of trust in vaccines is what’s driving the spread.
“My church was a part of giving out the vaccine. They had many people, mostly African Americans, who did not trust and would not take the shots. I had them all, I figured when I was growing up, we had all the shots for school so, if they were going to do something, they would’ve done it then,” Greene said.
Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County do not track reported cases by race. However, according to Ohio’s Department of Health, young African American children are least likely to receive a whooping cough vaccine.
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