Vaccination efforts increased in parts of Ontario as measles outbreaks grow

Ontario's Ministry of Health is asking some health units in the province to accelerate and expand administering measles vaccines as outbreaks continue to grow.

The areas in question are in the southwest where 92 cases of measles have been confirmed since January, many in children and almost all in unvaccinated people.

Southwestern Public Health (SWPH), which includes Oxford and Elgin counties has 35 cases, and Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH), which covers Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant counties, is counting 57 cases. 

"Measles is in our community. So if you are not fully up to date on your vaccinations against measles, you are at risk," said Dr. Ninh Tran, SWPH's Medical Officer of Health.

The update came in a briefing held by both health units, in which Tran and GEPH's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Malcolm Lock urged community members to stay home if their children or themselves are infected. They also stressed the importance of vaccination.

"Measles is not a new or novel illness. It's been around for decades and for a period of time we thought in Canada we had predominantly eliminated measles," Tran said. "It certainly resurfaced within our region, but there are things that we can do."

In GEPH's region, 48 cases appeared in children and nine cases affected adults. The cases are concentrated in the Haldimand-Norfolk area, although Lock did not provide the names of exact communities or locations. In SWPH's area, the majority of cases are in children and are localized close to SWPH's border with GEPH, Tran said.

Across the board, both doctors said, cases were primarily found in unvaccinated people.

"As we're seeing, any small decline in vaccine coverage can lead to a significant amount of measles circulation," Tran said.

In response to the growing outbreaks, Lock said, Ontario's Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario advised both SWPH and GEPH to make immediate changes to their measles vaccination schedules.

"That includes expanded eligibility for infants 6 months to 11 months of age, accelerated schedule for second doses in children under four years of age, and second dose for adults born in and after 1970," Lock said.

Vaccines that protect against measles are being offered by primary care providers or through community clinics being offered by the health units, Lock added.

Stay home if infected, officials say

For weeks, both health units have been providing periodic updates on the spread of the virus in their regions. Those updates have often come in the form of notices to the public including times and dates where locals may have been exposed to the virus.

According to Lock, when a child with symptoms is reported an investigation begins. Since the incubation period for measles is roughly 21 days, children who have had contact with the infected child are pulled from school for 21 days.

"Basically to ensure, if they are incubating anything, that it's not transmitted to other children in the same area," Lock said.

In terms of what to do if infected, officials say it's imperative to stay home unless it's absolutely necessary to seek medical attention. If seeking medical attention, it's important to wear a medical grade mask, call ahead to the clinic or hospital, and take other precautions to reduce the risk of spreading the highly contagious disease.

Both GEPH and SWPH have webpages they encourage locals to visit to stay up to date on possible exposure sites and learn more about immunization opportunities.

Anyone born in or after 1970 is encouraged to get vaccinated if they haven't done so yet.