Santa Cruz County to Hold Free Whooping Cough Vaccinations for Middle and High Schoolers

Santa Cruz County health officials are offering free whooping cough vaccinations for Santa Cruz County middle and high school students next week and throughout August.

A new state law requires students entering seventh through 12th grades receive the Tdap vaccination before classes begin this fall, according to Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency officials.

Vaccination clinics will be offered throughout the county starting Wednesday. The county has teamed up with community health center Salud Para La Gente to provide six free clinics for families and schools through August 18, health officials said.

The first clinic on Wednesday will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pajaro Valley Unified School District office towers at 294 Green Valley Road in Watsonville. Another clinic will be held on Aug. 10 at the same location from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A clinic on Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon will be available for students at Watsonville High School at 250 E. Beach St. in Watsonville. Another clinic at the school will be on Aug. 11 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The last two clinics will be held on Aug. 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Aptos High School at 100 Mariner Way in Aptos and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Live Oak Family Resource Center at 1740 17th Ave. in Santa Cruz Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a contagious respiratory disease.

All students must come to any of the clinics with a parent or guardian or with a signed parental consent form.

--Bay City News