Measles cases ‘on the doorstep’ due to reduced immunization

Waterloo Region vaccination rate has dropped to around 85 per cent, health official says

While there haven’t been any measles cases in the region since 2019, it takes just one case to be transmitted to unvaccinated people for the virus to take hold and can cause local outbreaks, said Dr. Adelle Chang On

Measles is “on our doorstep.”

With travel-related cases of measles cropping up in Toronto, Peel Region, Brantford and Hamilton, Dr. Adelle Chang On, resident physician for Region of Waterloo Public Health, said a reduction in global immunization campaigns has caused a resurgence of the highly contagious respiratory virus.

While there haven’t been any measles cases in Waterloo Region since 2019 — the case was travelrelated — Chang On said it takes just one case to be transmitted to unvaccinated people for the virus to take hold and can cause local outbreaks.

“That’s what we’re actually trying to protect against,” Chang On said.

“It can enter the country through international travel. But if it is that we have a susceptible population, that’s when we would worry more about having local cases. It’s something we’re trying to prevent by getting these messages out and by encouraging vaccination and just educating the public about the risk.”

Canada achieved elimination status for measles in 1998 when it reached herd immunity, with a 95 per cent vaccination rate.

Chang On said the country and region are now below that rate. While the percentage changes almost daily, Waterloo Region is currently at around 85 per cent, Chang On said.

“We know those rates have dropped across the world with the pandemic and we’re just going to try to do our best to get it back,” she said.

“That’s why our campaign right now with the enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Measles is, of course, one of the vaccines that is required for school

entry in Ontario. We believe it’s part and parcel. It’s the same thing, protecting our children who are one of our most vulnerable populations and doing it in school settings.”

Public health is currently working with the Waterloo Region Catholic and public school boards to get students’ immunization records up-to-date. The last figures, released Feb. 12, showed 18,643 suspension orders had been sent for elementary students to have updated vaccination records, obtain necessary vaccines or apply for an exemption. The suspension orders come into effect March 27.

While current numbers weren’t readily available, Chang On said the number is now “well below” that.

Should a child be suspended, the maximum length is 20 days before they can return to school. Chang On said children are allowed to return to school unvaccinated as the suspension isn’t meant to be punitive, but to encourage parents to get their kids vaccinated during that time.

The current measles threat is greater, Chang On said, because there hasn’t been any recent experience dealing with outbreaks.

In other countries, that’s much different — about 100,000 people died globally from measles in 2022.

Children under the age of five are most at risk of severe complications. Serious health effects are seen in about 10 per cent of measles cases, including pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, blindness, deafness, premature babies and death.

“While it is not a local problem right now, we believe that the vaccine, we’ve had 50 years of experience with it. We know it’s highly effective, with two doses in children the effectiveness approach is 100 per cent. We know that the vaccine works, and we just want to encourage people to take the simple step to prevent the disease.”

Public health released an advisory this past week, asking anyone travelling during March Break to make sure they are vaccinated against measles.

All Ontarians are eligible for two publicly funded doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.