The number of cases of whooping cough in Washington state increased by more than 50 percent between 2010 and 2011 from 608 cases to 912 cases — the highest number in six years.
Pharmacies usually charge between $25 and $32, while a shot at the doctor’s office usually costs at least $48.
The number of cases of whooping cough in Washington are up sharply this year with 431 cases reported in the state — 53 more than this time last year.
Getting an exemption is still possible but under a new law will require a visit to a health provider.
Seattle Times health coverage: Parents debate vaccine safety at CDC forum in Shoreline, Hutch win $20 million grant to seek stem cell HIV cure, Harborview praised for innovative drug intervention program.
New legislation that will make it tougher for parents to obtain exemptions to state laws requiring their children be vaccinated before attending public schools.
A proposal to make it more difficult for parents to avoid school-entry immunization requirements has raised the ire of opponents, who say the requirement is insulting and violates their parental rights.
Adult immunization rates have inched up in recent years, they are still far below what they should be, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All adults who are age 60 or over should get the shingles vaccine, but just 10 percent of that group had received it.
Likewise, only 17 percent of women between 19 and 26 had gotten even one of the three doses of the human papillomavirus vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer.
Public Health – Seattle and King County’s Dr. Jeff Duchin has been appointed to serve on the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Vaccinations aren’t just for kids any more: there’s battery of adult vaccinations should be part of your health care routine.
Organizers will giveaway free backpacks to the first 200 students to participate in the clinic.
Washington state health officials are urging parents to use the next few weeks to make sure their children had all the immunizations they need to attend school.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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