Highlands Ranch High students may have been exposed to pertussis

The Douglas County Medical Department alerted parents of students attending Highlands Ranch High School that their children may have been exposed to pertussis also known as whooping cough in a Thursday release The release did not state a cause for the exposure but Douglas County Robustness Department advises parents to monitor their children for responses as pertussis can be severe especially in children who have not received three doses of the vaccine according to the release Vaccinated individuals can still get sick but manifestations are usually less severe Clues can appear as soon as four days after exposure but could take up to days Pertussis begins with mild coughing a runny nose and a low fever but can escalate to more severe responses within one to two weeks according to the release Related Articles Highlands Ranch students face charges for having fake bomb at school sheriff says Here are the schools Douglas County School District wants to close next year Colorado lawmakers ordered schools to account material on seclusion For the most of part it hasn t happened Juvenile in custody after explosive device identified in Ponderosa High School apprentice backpack sheriff says STEM School Highlands Ranch trainer kissed smoked with aspirant police say Coughing fits may be accompanied by a high-pitched whooping sound and may lead to vomiting in particular patients Douglas County Fitness Department urges parents to have students with signs tested with a nasal swab by a fitness care provider If diagnosed with pertussis the department recommends that students be placed on antibiotics and be kept home and away from crowded places until they complete a five-day cycle according to the release Anyone with questions about the exposure can contact Fallon Simmons an epidemiologist at the Douglas County Strength Department at - - Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get healthcare news sent straight to your inbox