W.A. whooping cough epidemic: ABC News Breakfast Jan. 2012

This is Western Australia (not Washington State).  As the newspaper there reports:

A whooping cough epidemic is rampant in Western Australia, prompting the Health Department to warn parents about the need to vaccinate against the infectious and potentially fatal respiratory disease.

The recorded infection rate more than doubled from 1458 in 2010 to 3597 by December 23, 2011.

Director of Communicable Disease Control Dr Paul Armstrong said November had the most recorded cases, with 704 people infected.

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/whooping-cough-cases-double-20120103-1pjbn.html#ixzz1iYEhfurW

While I believe Dana McCaffery was from New South Whales, it should be a stark reminder the danger this disease poses to newborns, whether it is in NSW, WA, or even in the US.  Death, suffering, and misery are reduced by a simple and safe vaccine.  Not only that, this vaccine depends on herd immunity for it to offer that protection to those too young to get the vaccine.  As a matter of fact, if you come in contact with infants, or even think you might come into contact with infants, then check with your doctor about a booster.

Here is a video that accompanies the newspaper article.