Dear MPA Parents and Guardians,

We were informed this morning that an Upper School student at MPA has been diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough). Your child may have been exposed. The health and safety of all students is our number one priority, which is why we are notifying you with the important information below.

Pertussis is a serious and very contagious disease, particularly in children under one year of age, and for those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems. It spreads through the air with close contact (defined as within three feet of someone with pertussis for at least 10 hours a week).

Although your child may be immunized, immunization does not completely guarantee protection against pertussis. It is important to watch your child for symptoms of this disease, which often begin similar to early stages of a common cold: runny nose, sneezing, low grade fever, and a mild cough and worsens over one to two weeks. A person is no longer contagious after five days of antibiotic treatment. 

What Parents Need To Do

If your child has a cough:

• Keep your child home from school and activities, such as sports or play groups.
• If your child is here today with a cough, please call Julie Koster, MPA nurse, at 651-748-5509 and pick him or her up at your earliest convenience. 
• Make an appointment with your child’s physician as soon as possible and tell the physician that your child may have been exposed to pertussis.  
  

If your child has been diagnosed with pertussis by his or her physician:

• Notify Julie Koster, MPA nurse, at 651-748-5509.

If your child’s physician says your child does NOT have pertussis:

• Ask for a note from the physician telling the school that your child’s cough is not pertussis and that they may return to school and other activities at any time.

If your child has been told by a physician that they have a weakened immune system:

• Please consult with your child’s physician immediately, even if he or she is not coughing. 
  

If your child lives with any of the following people, consult with your physician, even if he or she is not coughing, for antibiotic treatment:

• A woman who is pregnant
• A baby younger than 12 months old
• Anyone with a weakened immune system

Please make sure your family’s vaccinations are up-to-date.

• Protection against pertussis from the childhood vaccine, DTaP, decreases over time. Older children and adults, including pregnant women, should get a pertussis booster shot to help protect themselves and babies near or around them. Contact your physician if you would like more information.

Here at MPA, we will be taking extra care to sanitize all surfaces and keeping an extra watchful eye over the health of all of our students. 

Additional facts from the Minnesota Department of Health about pertussis may be found here.  We have notified the Minnesota Department of Health and encourage you to contact your physician should you have questions or experience any symptoms that could be construed as pertussis.

Thank you for your attention to this.

Sincerely,