US whooping cough cases are at their highest level since 2014, and experts say unvaccinated or under-vaccinated teens and tweens—plus "post-pandemic vaccine fatigue"—are driving the surge. Pertussis, called whooping cough because of the distinctive noise sufferers make while trying to get enough air amid violent coughing fits, is easily preventable via immunization, USA Today reports, but booster shots are currently recommended about once a decade, as the vaccine's effectiveness wanes over time. Experts say there's been an increase in vaccine hesitancy since the COVID-19 pandemic, and whooping cough outbreaks are now being seen in unvaccinated kids, NBC News reports.
Another factor driving the spike in the bacterial ailment is the fact that, one doctor estimates, "for every case of whooping cough we find, there's probably 10 of them out there that didn't come to medical attention," meaning it can easily spread further in a community—and the bacteria can be shed for three to four weeks, making it even more difficult to stop the spread once it starts. Babies are particularly susceptible because of how small their airways are; infected infants must often be put on ventilators. CNN takes a closer look at the possibility of new and better vaccines, which researchers say must be developed, here. (More whooping cough stories.)
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