In brief: Federal panel advises vaccination

ATLANTA – A federal advisory panel is recommending that pregnant women get vaccinated against whooping cough.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Wednesday voted to recommend the shot for pregnant women who previously were not vaccinated.

Children get whooping cough vaccine in a series of shots beginning at 2 months. Most infant deaths and hospitalizations now occur in the first two months of life. Some research has found that a vaccinated pregnant woman will pass some immunity to her child.

Bar won’t face charges in death

PHILADELPHIA – “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn had a blood-alcohol content that was more than twice the legal limit when he and a passenger died in a fiery one-car crash this week. But the bar where he was drinking before the accident won’t face charges, because he apparently wasn’t visibly intoxicated when he was served by bar staff and his final drinks of the night were given to him by fans at a back table, authorities said Wednesday.

Dunn’s Porsche may have been traveling as fast as 140 mph in a 55 mph zone when it jumped a guardrail, flew into a wooded ravine, struck a tree and burst into flames, police said.

His blood-alcohol level was 0.196 at the time of the Monday morning crash, according to the toxicology report released by West Goshen Township Police in Pennsylvania. The legal limit for drivers is .08.

Dunn, 34, and his passenger Zachary Hartwell, 30, were drinking at a West Chester bar called Barnaby’s of America.