N.B. has 'room to grow' on vaccine uptake, health officer says amid measles outbreak

New Brunswick needs to "build on" the percentage of kindergarten students who meet immunization requirements, says Fredericton's regional medical officer of health, but measles vaccine coverage is "pretty good."

Dr. Mark McKelvie's comments come amid the province's largest measles outbreak recorded in "several decades," involving mostly people under 19.

Fifty cases of the highly infectious respiratory disease have been confirmed, as of Thursday — all in health Zone 3, which includes Fredericton and parts of the Upper St. John River Valley area, and all linked to an initial travel-related case reported on Oct. 24.

About 28 per cent of kindergarten students failed to provide proof last school year that they were fully immunized against measles and eight other diseases, as required under the Public Health Act. That's up from about 26 per cent the previous year.

Asked how concerning those numbers are, McKelvie replied, "It's certainly something we need to build on."

Analogy of a report card

He used the analogy of a report card. "We really want everyone to have that 'A,' that 100 per cent. … We have 70 per cent who are getting that 'A,' but 30 per cent, around, who aren't meeting that target.

"That doesn't mean that they're getting an 'F.' … It just means that they're not getting an 'A' in everything," he said.

"We actually have pretty good coverage for measles, well above the national average, around 91 per cent."

'A lot' in process of getting shots

And "a lot" of the kindergarten students who did not meet the immunization requirements "are in the process of getting their vaccinations," McKelvie noted.

Public Health works with those students and the school board to "balance the needs of safety at school, but also the importance of children having the ability to get educated," he said.

"But we have room to grow certainly for measles and for other vaccines."

Measles is transmitted through the air or by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of an infected person. The virus can linger in the air for hours, and one infected person can spread it to nine out of 10 unprotected people around them.

'Decent' vaccination clinic uptake

Horizon Health has been holding a number of measles vaccination clinics in Zone 3 for children and teens who have not received two doses after turning a year old, and adults born in 1970 or later who never received two doses. The next scheduled clinic is in Fredericton on Thursday, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at 300 St. Mary's St., and more may be added.

Uptake has been "decent" so far, at about 208 people, McKelvie said. Almost all of them were getting their first dose, which he described as "encouraging" because they now have some protection.

"The risk of measles has changed. I mean, globally the risk is changing and we are part of that global story. There's exposures here in New Brunswick and people should make sure that they're protected and people are doing that, which is great to see."

3 hospitalized, 'several' seen in ER

Three of the measles cases have required hospitalization, while "several others" required assessment in emergency, he said.

"Thankfully, I don't believe anybody has required ICU admission yet."

McKelvie declined to disclose the ages of three people hospitalized, but did say "not everyone" was a child.

He also declined to provide more information about where infections are occurring within the large health region, which covers much of the central and western part of the province.

These people are following Public Health's guidance, he said.

"Once we … become aware of them, the further risk to the public is minimized," through contact tracing, he said.

If there's a public exposure where health officials are unable to identify everyone who was there, they will provide more information, but that's not the case right now, McKelvie said.

"It's better to reach people directly because we can follow up with them and provide them more specific advice."

Close contacts of infected people aren't necessarily advised to self-isolate, he said. It depends on various factors, such as the nature of their exposure and whether they're considered immune.