Check you’re fully immunized against measles: Public health officials

Breadcrumb Trail Links

1. News
2. Local News

People in the London region and across the country are being advised by health officials to check that they're fully immunized against measles, especially before travelling, amid a global rise in the disease

Author of the article:

Free Press staff

Published Feb 23, 2024  •  Last updated 3 days ago  •  3 minute read

Join the conversation

Article content

People in the London region and across the country are being advised by health officials to check that they’re fully immunized against measles, especially before travelling, amid a global rise in the disease.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit issued an advisory Friday recommending people check their vaccination status before travelling and ensure they are up-to-date on their shots.

Article content

Article content

“The highest risk of measles transmission is among unvaccinated individuals who travel and return from countries where measles is circulating,” the health unit said.

The province’s chief medical officer of health recently sent a memo to health units warning them to prepare for possible measles outbreaks given the “dramatic rise” in cases in other parts of the world, including Europe.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also issued an advisory, saying it’s concerned the upcoming March break travel season could lead to more cases of the highly contagious disease coming into this country.

To be fully protected, both adults and children need to have received two doses of measles vaccine.

The first dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is usually given to babies at 12 to 15 months and then again before the child starts school.

The Canadian Immunization Guide recommends that adults who don’t know whether or not they received two shots get a booster, especially if they’re travelling.

It also recommends that adults born before 1970 who don’t know if they ever had measles get a dose of vaccine.

Article content

Article content

If parents are travelling with infants younger than 12 months old, the baby should get a dose of measles vaccine if they are at least six months of age.

Dr. Shelly Bolotin, director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto, says there is no harm in getting an extra dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Measles was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998, meaning any outbreaks since then have started with someone who became infected in another country.

Recently, measles cases have been rising in other countries, including the United Kingdom.

“Because there’s an increase in cases outside of Canada, then it’s understandable that we’re getting an increase in importations (of measles) as well,” Bolotin said.

“What we need to make sure that we are doing is that our population is adequately protected so that when cases come in, they don’t spread into large outbreaks (here).”

The Public Health Agency is aware of six cases of measles so far in Canada in 2024, the agency said in an emailed statement Thursday.

“Measles can cause pneumonia as well as severe and permanent complications including deafness and brain damage resulting from inflammation of the brain (encephalitis),” the statement said.

Article content

“Measles can be a fatal infection. Children less than five years of age, adults older than 20 years of age, pregnant people and people who are immunocompromised are at higher risk for complications from measles.”

The Middlesex-London Health Unit issued a warning on Dec. 25, 2023, that a seven-month-old from the London area tested positive for measles after arriving three days earlier in Toronto on a flight from Pakistan. The warning was targeted at people on the flight.

The family drove from Toronto to London in a private vehicle, and the child was taken to hospital for medical care shortly after showing symptoms, the health unit said.

Officials followed up with people who had been in contact with the baby, including staff in health care settings.

There was also a travel-related measles case in the London region in February 2023. It was the first case in London and Middlesex County since 2014.

Public health officials followed up with at least 100 close contacts in Woodstock and London.

Officials believe the person contracted the virus during a trip to India, a part of the world where the vaccine-preventable disease still spreads, the health unit said.

Nicole Ireland, Canadian Press

HOW TO CHECK VACCINATION RECORDS

Source: Middlesex-London Health Unit

Recommended from Editorial

1. 

   London-area measles case prompts warning for passengers on Dec. 22 flight

2. 

   Clinic patients, factory staff tracked amid first local measles case since 2014

Article content

Share this article in your social network