The Placer County Health and Human Services Department, in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, will offer free Pertussis (whooping cough) shots to adults and children 7 years old and older.

The free Tahoe clinic will be from 4-7pm Aug. 26 at the North Tahoe Community Center, 3813 North Tahoe Blvd., in Kings Beach.

The public is urged to bring any immunization records they have to the clinics.

Outbreaks of whooping cough, a disease also known as Pertussis, have reached epidemic levels in California this year. In Placer County, there were 31 confirmed or probable cases, but no deaths through Aug. 9.

The disease causes coughing fits that make it hard to breathe and spreads easily when someone with the disease coughs or sneezes. Early signs are like a common cold, such as a runny nose, sneezing, low fever and mild cough.

Local and state public health officials are advising whooping cough booster shots for adults and children seven years and older because immunity provided by earlier vaccinations wears off over time.

Newborn infants are at the greatest risk for severe illness and death, and they often get the disease from infected adults or adolescents.

Women of childbearing age can be vaccinated before, during and immediately after pregnancy.

For infants, whooping cough vaccinations can begin when they are 6 weeks old. Infants are not adequately protected until the initial series of three shots is complete.

For more information, call Placer County Community Health at (530) 546.1970. Whooping cough information also is available on the county website at www.placer.ca.gov.