A case of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, has been confirmed at Sag Harbor Elementary School.
The case was confirmed via a letter sent to Matt Malone, principal of Sag Harbor Elementary School, on Wednesday afternoon by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. Jeff Nichols, the Sag Harbor School District superintendent, said on Thursday that information on the case was sent out to the entire district out of an abundance of caution.
The Health Department's letter outlines the three stages of the pertussis infection. The first stage brings "upper respiratory symptoms including low-grade fever, runny nose, sneezing, and mild, occasional cough." The second stage is considered the peak of the illness, with "spasmodic coughing episodes, often at night, sometimes followed by [a] long whooping sound and possible facial color changes," and "vomiting after coughing episodes." Stage three persists after the worst of the illness is over.
"Although the infection is not contagious after appropriate antibiotic treatment or 21 days from start of cough, coughing episodes may persist for weeks to months," the department's letter states, noting that pertussis is sometimes called the "cough of 100 days."
According to a Suffolk County alert from December 2023, the infection spreads through the air when sick individuals cough and sneeze. The most effective way to stop the spread is to follow the standard Centers for Disease Control procedures, such as covering one's mouth and sneezing and coughing into one's elbow. However, the C.D.C. says, the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTaP) and the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine (TDaP) are the best ways to prevent or lessen the severity of the infection.
"The DTaP vaccine for children and TDaP vaccine for adults protect against pertussis as well as two other serious infections, tetanus and diphtheria," the county health alert said. Additionally, the Health Department recommends the TDaP vaccination for "pregnant women during every pregnancy to protect their babies from whooping cough in the first few months of life."
It is possible that the symptoms of pertussis can take up to 21 days to develop. If symptoms are detected, the Health Department recommends staying home and contacting a health care provider to get the special nasal-throat swab test specifically for pertussis.
The county's letter to Sag Harbor Elementary School notes that "early treatment with the appropriate antibiotic for a symptomatic individual will eliminate disease transmission and may reduce disease severity."
There were 108 cases of pertussis reported in Suffolk in 2023, the Health Department said in its December alert.