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Whooping cough vaccine required for students

All students in seventh-grade through high school who attend California schools will have to show proof of vaccination against whooping cough before returning to school next fall, the county health department has announced.

"Nearly 55,000 students in San Mateo County will be affected by the new law, which was prompted by California's recent epidemic of whooping cough, also known as pertussis," Robyn Thaw of the health department said in a press release. The law goes into effect on July 1.

In addition to whooping cough, the vaccine, known as Tdap, also protects against tetanus and diphtheria, according to the press release. The health department also recommends the meningococcal vaccine, the HPV vaccine series, and a second chickenpox shot for teens and preteens.

Go to shotsforschool.org for more information about vaccine requirements for teens and preteens.