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Christina Abel
*OAH_RuleComments.OAH
Docket# 8-0900-30570
Wednesday, July 17, 2013 2:06:46 PM
Update on Minnesota.docx
Require Tdap vaccine for 7 th grade students
Dear Judge Lipman,
Another update for a previous letter/attachment Comment 37 (PDF:
6MB/14 pages) on Minnesota's reported pertussis cases less than 6months-of-age. It now includes the number of reported pertussis cases
of babies less than 6 months, graph updated.
Thank you for your patience,
Chris Abel
Require Tdap vaccine for 7th grade students
Update on Minnesota’s reported pertussis cases less than 6-months of age.
2012 there were 4,144 reported cases with 110 reported pertussis cases less than 6-months-of-age
with 25 reported hospitalizations in this age group and no deaths since 2006.
Minnesota’s Peak years of reported pertussis cases in babies less than 6months-of-age, 1995-2012
1997 - Total reported cases, 557 / 94 cases less than 6-months of age, 57 hospitalized (61%)
2000 - Total reported cases, 575 / 81 cases less than 6-months of age, 38 hospitalized (47%)
2005 - Total reported cases, 1,571/ 92 cases less than 6-months of age, 23 hospitalized (25%)
2012 - Total reported cases, 4,144/ 110 cases less than 6-months of age, 25 hospitalized (23%)
In Minnesota, the total number of all of the reported pertussis cases does not seem to have much
of an impact on the number of babies hospitalized less than 6 months-of-age for the last 12 years.
Maybe Minnesota is better at diagnosing and reporting pertussis cases especially with the
introduction of better pertussis testing.
Parents are still recommended to give their 7th grade students the Tdap vaccine, as listed on the
Vaccine Student Form. The medical decision is made in the doctor’s office. A doctor advises
the parent about vaccinations and then the parent makes the medical decision about vaccinations
for their child, informed consent, not just to get into school.
Thank you,
Chris Abel
Crystal, MN
In a U.S. birth cohort of about 4 million births in 2012 with half cannot be protected by the
pertussis vaccine, < 6 months, there were 18 pertussis deaths: 13 in infant less than 3 months, 2
infants 3-11 months, 2 children 1-4 years of age, and one adult over 55 years.
Apr, 2010 study revealed that if 90% of U.S. babies were breastfed exclusively for the first 6
months of their life it could prevent over 900 deaths and save the United States $13 billion in
health costs. http://digitaljournal.com/article/290140 or http://digitaljournal.com/article/290140#ixzz2ZJ1zqpEy
Too bad the MDH does not promote breastfeeding as much as vaccines. How many Minnesota
babies have died from vaccine preventable diseases that were not breastfed?
Minnesota Reported Pertussis Cases
Less Than 6-Months-of-Age
1995 - 2012
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Reported Cases
Reported Hospitalized Cases
Minnesota Reported Pertussis
1995-2012
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Number of Reported Cases