Whooping cough cases popping up around Tri-State Area prompt doctors to reiterate need for vaccines
NEW YORK -- Doctors say cases of whooping cough are on the rise across the Tri-State Area.
CBS New York spoke with a father whose whole family likely has it and asked a doctor about the best ways to protect families.
Tom Wysocki always thought of whooping cough as a childhood illness.
"It wasn't the first thing that came to mind, no. You run through all the basic things -- this time of year -- regular cold, am I being a wimp?" Wysocki said.
"About a week ago I started coughing. It started light and has gotten deeper since. I can feel it in my chest. It's tight," Wysocki said.
WATCH: Pediatric doctor discusses rise in whooping cough cases in Suffolk County
When asked if he is experiencing that sound that we so often connect with whooping cough," Wysocki said, "Yes, that crackle, I can feel it when I take a deep breath."
Wysocki's entire family had been coughing for months and tested negative for COVID-19 and the flu.
"It was just a symphony of coughing throughout the holiday. We kept saying, 'You're young, healthy, you'll get better,' and now here we are revisiting the same problem that started two months ago," Wysocki said.
Pediatrician Dr. Mondana Yazdi, who treats Wysocki's children, said testing for whooping cough is more complicated than you might think.
"It is usually a diagnosis of exclusion," Yazdi said. "The testing does take a few days, so by the time it comes back the only benefit is to treat the community and family members if it's positive."
Yazdi also said "vaccine fatigue" brought on by the pandemic is making the problem worse.
"This COVID thing has done a doozy on people. They're avoiding even the flu shot. We already had a horrible flu season in pediatrics. These old illnesses are going to come back. These viruses and bacteria that we put the kibosh on are going to come back if people don't get vaccinated," Yazdi said.
The doctor said all children should be vaccinated against pertussis, and recommends parents get a booster shot every 10 years.
The good news is doctors say most cases of whooping cough are knocked out by a round of common antibiotics.
Whooping cough is becoming pervasive in Suffolk County, where health officials have documented 108 cases so far this year, compared to just four cases total last year.