MHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric Yancy Talks to WTHR-TV Channel 13

Posted 20 July 2012 by asanders & filed under Blog, Member News, Press Release, Provider News.

Eric A. Yancy, M.D., MHS chief medical officer and practicing pediatrician, spoke to Jennie Runevitch from WTHR-TV Channel 13 about whooping cough, a growing health danger, especially for children.

According to Runevitch in her story on Thursday, July 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the United States appears to be headed for the worst epidemic of whooping cough in more than five decades. The CDC put out a warning Thursday that whooping cough, or pertussis, is causing the worst epidemic in 50 years. There are currently 18,000 cases nationwide.

Dr. Yancy said, “Pertussis is incredibly dangerous and fatal in a number of cases. When infants and newborns get this, they’re very sick and will spend a long period of time in the hospital, some with all kinds of complications, coughing so badly they can get brain hemorrhages and death can result.”

Dr. Yancy encourages parents to get the shot for their children and get the booster shot for themselves. The CDC now recommends mass adults vaccinations to make sure parents and their children are protected.

To see the full story on WTHR, please visit www.wthr.com/story/19070297/doctors-worried-over-whooping-cough-epidemic.