A silent threat descended upon Louisiana this year – the worst whooping cough outbreak in 35 years. Unlike typical responses to such outbreaks, a crucial playbook of public alerts and updates remained largely untouched, leaving vulnerable residents exposed.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious disease particularly devastating for infants. The illness manifests in violent coughing fits, sometimes halting breathing for agonizing seconds, and can escalate to pneumonia, seizures, and, tragically, even death. A two-month-old baby in Baton Rouge recently fought for his life in the ICU, a stark illustration of the disease’s severity.
By late January, the outbreak had already claimed the lives of two Louisiana infants. Yet, the state’s Department of Health waited two full months to issue even a simple social media post suggesting vaccination discussions with doctors. A statewide health alert to physicians, a press release, or a public news conference were even further delayed.
Experts agree this response was unusual. “Particularly for these childhood diseases, we usually jump all over these,” stated a physician and former health department leader. “These are preventable diseases and preventable deaths.” The speed of public notification is paramount, as infectious diseases spread with frightening efficiency, and every moment lost represents more potential infections.
The situation took a concerning turn in February when the state’s surgeon general issued a memo halting general vaccine promotion and community events. This decision coincided with the Senate confirmation of an anti-vaccine activist as the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was accompanied by a public statement questioning the “one-size-fits-all” approach to public health recommendations.
Confirmation of the two infant deaths finally reached the public through a local news outlet, but the Department of Health remained silent. Internal emails revealed two more infants were hospitalized in the following month, yet no official alerts were issued. It wasn’t until March, prompted by inquiries from journalists, that the department began limited social media communication.
The first official alert to physicians finally arrived on May 1st – a full three months after the second infant death. A press release followed the next day, and a news conference on May 14th. By then, 42 people had been hospitalized, with babies under one year old comprising over two-thirds of those cases. The majority were not fully vaccinated.
Throughout the summer, cases continued to surge, yet the state remained largely quiet. When questioned in September, a department spokesperson offered a recent social media post from the surgeon general, claiming consistent reporting and guidance, while simultaneously omitting data from the current year and misrepresenting the timeline of the infant deaths.
Experts are calling the response a “train wreck.” Immediate, widespread communication stressing the vulnerability of infants and the importance of vaccination was desperately needed. The failure to act swiftly may have paved the way for a far more extensive outbreak.
As of September, Louisiana had recorded 387 cases of whooping cough, shattering the previous high of 214 in 2013. Despite this alarming surge, public communication remained minimal for months. The Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized the need for consistent, updated information, urging vaccination for both adults and pregnant women.
The core mission of public health is to prevent further suffering. Even now, experts insist it’s not too late to adopt a more aggressive and proactive approach to combatting this preventable disease and safeguarding the health of Louisiana’s children. The opportunity to prevent the next hospitalization, the next tragedy, remains within reach.
