Most of the staff at the Northwestern Vermont Medical Center in Saint Albans is being vaccinated against whooping cough.
No cases of the ailment, formally known as pertussis, have been reported at the hospital, but officials wanted to ensure there isn’t an outbreak.
The only hospital workers who won’t be vaccinated are those who have been vaccinated against pertussis within the past two years, pregnant women or the elderly.
The Health Department made the suggestion to vaccinate health care providers after an outbreak of pertussis at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Pertussis is highly contagious.