1038: Kentucky’s Pertussis Surge: Preventable Tragedies and a Path Forward

Kentucky is experiencing its largest spike in whooping cough cases since 2012, an alarming rise that has already claimed the lives of three infants in the past year. In this episode, Dr. Steven Stack, Secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, joins us to unpack what’s driving the surge, why waning vaccination rates matter, and how misinformation is complicating public health response efforts.  Dr. Stack, ASTHO member and former ASTHO president, explains the cyclical nature of pertussis, how the pandemic disrupted typical disease patterns, and why the current spike is more severe than expected. He discusses the heartbreaking reality that none of the infants who died were vaccinated, and neither were their mothers, despite well-established evidence that maternal vaccination can provide newborns with lifesaving early protection.Creating Shared Vision and Governance for Data Modernization in Vermont | ASTHODon't Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator | ASTHO