Whooping Cough Strikes Again

California struggles through it's worst epidemic in 55 years as a tenth baby dies of a highly contagious, cyclical infection called whooping cough or pertussis. There were more than 5,270 cases reported this year. This beats the previous record of 4,949 set in 1995. All of the infants that have died victims of the whooping cough have been too young to receive vaccinations. Parents and caretakers are urged to get vaccinated in order to bring the spread of the illness to a stop faster and save lives. Many children receive five doses of the vaccinations by the time they enter kindergarten. The vaccinations obviously do not immunize for life.