Here’s why the whooping cough is making a comeback and how to protect yourself

In the past few months, whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory infection, has been spreading rapidly, particularly in areas throughout Idaho and Washington. UC Davis Children’s Hospital put forth a warning saying, “This year is likely to be an epidemic year.” And late spring is when the epidemic is expected to hit. Pertussis (aka whooping cough), caused primarily by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, has reemerged in several countries recently — even those countries with sustained vaccine coverage.