Michigan health experts urge residents to protect themselves against whooping cough
Whooping cough is described as a brutal hacking that can lead to vomiting, but it is preventable.
People of any age can get whooping cough.
"You make a sound like a crane whooping where you're going to grab in all the air, and that's where it gets the name whooping cough," said Dr. Rebecca Schein, a pediatrician with the University of Michigan Health Sparrow and Michigan State.
Health experts say a combination shot, often given in the early months of a child's life, will protect little ones until pre-adolescence. Then, doctors recommend booster shots.
However, in recent years, vaccination rates for whooping cough and measles have declined, which Dr. Shalini Sethi, a senior staff pediatrician with Henry Ford Health, says has contributed to the significant increase.
"A big surge was seen in the last two years. In 2023, 2024 was rampant. It was 1,500 new cases, which is like a 14-fold increase already in 2025 till April 18," she said.
Schein said another factor driving the increase is better testing.
"It's also because we're diagnosing it more," she said.
Both doctors tell CBS News Detroit the best offense is a good defense-- through prevention.
"Vaccination is our best line of defense against it because it will prevent you from being infected," said Schein.
Sethi encourages all her patients to get vaccinated, but she notes that instilling trust is key, especially for those who have questions or are concerned about vaccine safety.
"I give them hope and that science behind it to explain," she said.
