Albertans urged to vaccinate kids against measles as B.C. fights outbreak

Health officials in Alberta are urging parents to ensure their children are up to date on their vaccines, as an outbreak of measles continues to plague Vancouver and Washington State.

According to Alberta Health Services (AHS) while there have been no reported cases of measles in the province so far in 2019, there were six cases in 2018.

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"When you see outbreaks of measles … we get really worried," said Dr Jia Hu, Calgary's medical officer of health.

Measles, characterized by fever, cough and a rash, is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia or swelling in the brain. According to Hu, in roughly one or two cases per thousand, it can lead to death. 

 "It's not a disease that is benign. It's a disease that can really, really hurt your kids." 

Whether or not it shows up in Calgary depends on a number of factors including travel between Alberta and the outbreak areas and how well the population is immunized against the disease.

"The more measles we see around us the more likely we are to have measles here at home, which is why it's super important that people get their children immunized against measles," Hu said. 

In Alberta, children are supposed to get two measles vaccinations — the first by 12 months of age and the second at age four.

The most recent data from Alberta Health Services shows, in 2017, 87 per cent of Alberta kids had received their first measles vaccine by the age of two and 79 per cent of kids had received their second shot by age seven.

The target rate is much higher. 

"For something like measles you really want to see the overall immunization rates to exceed 90 to 95 per cent to have that herd immunity. And herd immunity is so important for measles just because it is such an infectious disease, so contagious," he said.

According to AHS, the Calgary and Edmonton zones have the highest measles vaccination rates in the province while the North and South zones have the lowest.

"What's happening across society is there's a trend towards vaccine hesitancy and people not trusting vaccines for various reasons. And I think when you see measles outbreaks like these people are reminded just how important it is to get their kids vaccinated," said Hu.

"It's unfortunate that we need these sorts of reminders. But it emphasizes the point that people do need to get their kids immunized if they want to keep them safe from measles."