WESTFIELD — Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been on the rise locally and nationwide. During a regular meeting of the Westfield Board of Health on Monday, it was stated that there have been clusters of Pertussis outbreaks in the area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 4,864 cases nationally as of May 31, compared to 1,746 cases from May of last year. Local data was not immediately available at the time of publication.
Board members said that pertussis is very harmful to infants, people with asthma, pregnant women, elderly and immuno-compromised individuals. A highly-contagious respiratory infection, it may begin like a regular cold, with symptoms such as a low-grade fever, runny nose and cough, but over time violent coughing fits can develop that can last for months. Pertussis spreads from inhaling bacteria from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. According to the CDC, a person can be contagious for weeks. Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics. The CDC suggests getting the vaccine for pertussis.
Local health officials said Monday that while current numbers are a stark increase from last year, the number of pertussis cases is right where they were pre-Covid. Regardless, the board is advising schools that have clusters of pertussis cases to send a notice to parents suggesting that they take their children to their healthcare provider if they have a cough.
The board once again advised against drinking raw, un-pasteurized milk because it could lead to illnesses such as the Avian Flu (H1N1) that comes from bacteria present in un-pasteurized milk from dairy cows. Although it is illegal in New Jersey, such milk can be purchased in Pennsylvania.
Last month, the Allergy Awareness Subcommittee sent out a onepage memo to Union County towns regarding food-allergy awareness. This included what residents should know about food allergies, what the major food allergens are, symptoms of food allergies, and what to do if one believes someone may be experiencing a food-allergy reaction. This information also can be found on the board of health website, the town’s social media and on paper copies at the library.
“One of the scarier things about food allergies is you could eat a food like peanuts or shrimp in the past and be okay, and then have an allergic reaction one day with not really a history of allergic reactions,” Health Officer and Board Secretary Megan Avallone said.
In other business Monday, two ordinances were approved: one that sets the salary range for non-union employees of the health department, and another amending section 5-12 and 5-13 of the Westfield Health Code, which adds the definition of the word commissary to the health code and states that any potentially hazardous food products must be prepared in a food commissary, as well as changes the wording of the inspection fee schedule.
The board once again urged residents to complete a communitybased health assessment from the Union County Board of County Commissioners. The goal of the assessment is for the county to be able to incorporate resident feedback about their health services. The assessment takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and it is open until Sunday, June 30. To complete the survey, visit tinyurl.com/2udbf5c.
