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Winsted school officials warn parents of whooping cough outbreak

WINSTED — Educators in Winsted are warning parents after several students developed whooping cough, also known as pertussis. “We have five cases of ...
TheGilbertSchool

WINSTED — Educators in Winsted are warning parents after several students developed whooping cough, also known as pertussis.

“We have five cases of whooping cough which have actually been diagnosed,” said Superintendent Tony Serio. He said the cases are at The Gilbert School, a college prep school for students in 7th through 12th grade. All of the students are being treated for whooping cough and two are already back at school, Serio added.

“The school is monitoring the population of students very carefully,” he said. “If we see anybody coughing at a great rate, we call their parents and ask them to take the child to their pediatrician – or family doctor – and then look into the possibility of whooping cough.”

The school issued recommendations to parents including:

  • If your child has a cough
    • Keep your child home
    • Make an appoint to see a doctor as soon as possible
  • If your child has been told by a doctor that they have a weakened immune system, contact your doctor to discuss his or her exposure
  • If your child lives with any of the following people and may have been exposed to pertussis, contact your physician, even if he or she is not coughing:
    • A woman who is pregnant
    • A baby younger than 12 months old
    • Anyone with a weakened immune system
  • If your child has been diagnosed with pertussis by a doctor
    • Tell the school that your child has been diagnosed
    • School officials may request you keep your child home until they have been on antibiotics for five days

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