Michigan residents are facing an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases as immunization rates decline and more schoolchildren receive vaccine exemptions. This decline has led to a notable rise in whooping cough cases, commonly known as pertussis, which has surged significantly this year, prompting state health officials to issue a series of warnings.
Historically, Michigan has averaged just below 600 pertussis cases annually before the pandemic. However, this year reports have exceeded 1,500 cases. Concurrently, vaccine waivers for pertussis have risen from 3.2% in 2020 to 6.2% last year, according to the state’s health department data.
Over half of these pertussis cases occur among children aged 5 to 17, with 66% of these cases involving either unvaccinated individuals or those who haven’t received a booster in over five years.
This trend is part of a broader pattern, according to Ryan Malosh, director of the Division of Immunization at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. He noted, “Over the last year, we’ve had more measles cases than we’ve had in any year in probably the last ten years. We’ve had mumps outbreaks. We’ve had pertussis. We’ve had chicken pox…And it’s a lot to do with the fact that our immunization rates are dropping, and we don’t have enough immunity in our communities to prevent these outbreaks.”
Particularly alarming is whooping cough’s potential lethality for infants. Dr. Delicia Pruitt, medical director of the Saginaw County Health Department, emphasized, “It starts off like a cold with mild symptoms, but it progresses to severe coughing fits that can last weeks to months. It’s dangerous for infants, with nearly half of those under one-year-old requiring hospitalization.”
Dr. Francis Darr, chair of the pediatrics department for the U.P. Health System-Marquette, reported an uptick in hospital admissions for young children with preventable diseases. “Unfortunately, I have had the experience in recent weeks of taking care of several infants with vaccine-preventable diseases, including hospitalized infants with pertussis here in the Upper Peninsula,” he stated.
In response, experts are advising adults to verify their family’s vaccination status through their healthcare provider or by utilizing the state portal here. They also recommend getting a Tdap booster every ten years as a precautionary measure.
For parents concerned about their child’s vaccination schedule, Dr. Darr reassures, “Our goals for their children are the same. We are not the enemies of parents, we want to partner with parents. And I think that it’s normal and laudable for parents to have questions about interventions we do for their children.”
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