CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning to all adults to get their whooping cough immunization up to date.
Health officials warn cases have surged from 100 or so a year to thousands so far this year.
"Nobody we know has it right now so I think maybe there's less sense of urgency with it," said parent of two, Jason Ruimerman.
With so much to worry about as parents, many say whooping cough isn't top of their list and some parents say it's not on their radar at all.
"I don't vaccinate because of my religious beliefs," said mother of three, Melissa Domingo.
But Doctor Charles Bregier with Presbyterian Hospital says the severely contagious disease is making a major resurgence in the United States.
"There's many thousands reported now whereas ten years ago it was almost unheard of in this country," said Dr. Charles Bregier.
Dr. Bregier says that could be due to changes in the vaccine decades ago which caused less long term immunity so now there's a population of adults who need to get it again.
"A very small percentage of adults who need to get re-immunized have been re-immunized probably only about ten percent of adult population," said Dr. Bregier.
Though whooping cough isn't deadly for adults, they can pass it on to children.
"That's the population we worry about the most, small children with small airways and its causing swelling of the airways, gasping for air and difficulty breathing," said Dr. Bregier.
And Dr. Bregier says it’s so contagious one cough from an adult that then touches a child can be all it takes, so all adults should get up to date on their T-dap shots.
"I think it's very important. You hear scary things about vaccinations but I think it's even scarier not to be vaccinated as long as you're informed," said mom, Lisa Cook.
You can get the vaccine either at the Mecklenburg County Health Department, any physician’s office or minute clinics.
