YORK, Pa. — Whooping cough is a highly-contagious respiratory tract infection that affects people of all ages, especially those with lung diseases like asthma.
A vaccine is available and FOX43 spoke with experts who say it's especially important this year for people to be protected.
"It can be really dangerous for babies, especially those that aren't of the age of being vaccinated," David Gasperack with Wellspan Health said.
Dr. Gasperack says Pertussis, otherwise known as "whooping cough," is unlike other highly-contagious bacterial infections because it lasts up to 10 weeks. It can also be debilitating to little ones.
"I'd say about a third to about a half of babies who get whooping cough, end up in the hospital," Dr. Gasperack said.
It's also very dangerous for people with asthma, who are four times more likely to get the illness and have severe complications.
Antibiotics and steroids can lessen symptoms, but not always. The T-DAP vaccine was introduced in 2005 and helps protect against pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria. It's given to babies starting at two-months-old, but experts say many adults don't know they need a booster shot every ten years.
That's why the American Lung Association just launched the Pertussis Educational campaign, to educate people about the dangers of the illness and the importance of getting vaccinated to help prevent the spread of the disease. The Association states that only 31% of adults in the U.S. received the vaccine in the past 10 years.
Dr. Gasperack says this year, it's more important than ever to make sure you're caught up on all your shots.
"We're at capacity now and just seeing with our regular medical care combined with COVID-19, it would really push our health system to the brink if we have to deal with another pandemic on top of it," he said.
Most people who get the vaccine do not have any serious side effects.
For more information on the vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here.