Canada is in the midst of what could be a measles catastrophic year, the worst since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 1998. Health professionals are responding to anxiety about increasing vaccination rates and the risk of outbreaks. Cases are climbing precipitously—in Ontario by one-third since last week. Federal, state, and local public health authorities are encouraging all individuals to get vaccinated, especially those who are not sure of their current vaccination status.
According to Dr. Dawn Bowdish, an expert in infectious diseases, two doses of the measles vaccine give you long-lasting protection from the virus. As she warns, this protection isn’t “bulletproof.” This declaration is emblematic of the increasing alarm as more and more cases have been reported across Canada.
So far in 2019, British Columbia has only seen a handful of confirmed measles cases – just five, in fact, all travel-related. Scary Canada Ontario has seen the scariest surge. To date, as of April 24th, there are 129 confirmed cases, affecting all but one region in the province. Of these total cases, nine of them have been hospitalized as a result of the virus, emphasizing the severity of this outbreak.
Understanding Vaccination Status
This is something that most Canadians born after 1970 have never experienced in person themselves, having mostly relied on vaccination to protect them from experiencing it directly. According to Dr. Bowdish, a very small minority of vaccinated people will lose immunity as time goes by.
“Most of us who were born after 1970 have never encountered measles; we’ve only been vaccinated. We know that a small percentage of people in that scenario will have some decrease in immunity,” – Dawn Bowdish
For people who don’t know their vaccination status, experts say it’s better to get re-vaccinated than go through blood tests to test for immunity. Dr. Bowdish states, “If you can’t find your vaccination status, our recommendation is just get vaccinated.”
Dr. Lynora Saxinger just wants to make sure we’re getting the unvaccinated vaccinated — that’s still the main thing. She mentions, “Making sure that … people who are unvaccinated get vaccinated first is kind of the clear priority.”
The Current Landscape of Measles Cases
The return of measles Ontario has once again been the focal point for measles reintroduction and spread in Canada. The increase in cases, while alarming to health officials, has brought an opportunity to discuss vaccine effectiveness and the potential need for additional vaccine doses. At this time, Canadian public health authorities are not recommending a third dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to the general population. They know that there are specific audiences who would benefit from having it.
Dr. Saxinger says the contagiousness of outbreaks plays a role in causing breakthrough infections in the vaccinated. She states, “It’s a numbers game: the more measles is spreading, the more likely it is that a breakthrough infection happens.”
That’s why six measles hospitalizations in unvaccinated children and adolescents this year are alarming. This dangerous trend serves to illustrate the major and very real threat that the virus presents. Dr. Dale Kalina adds reassurance for those who are fully vaccinated, noting, “The reality is [those who’ve received two shots] aren’t the people I would be worried about in an outbreak.”
Looking Ahead to 2025
Even as Canada heads toward 2025, public health officials are on guard against the possibility of a measles resurgence. With the current year on track to be the most frequent year for outbreaks since the disease’s elimination from Canada.
Dr. Bowdish recommends taking precautions for vulnerable groups, especially pregnant women or women looking to become pregnant. She is calling for those individuals to be tested for immunity as measles cases continue to increase.
“As we move to an era where we have a lot more measles around, I personally am very supportive of pregnant women… getting this test,” – Dawn Bowdish
