You likely received 2 immunizations for measles as a child; if you’re unsure, just check with your doctor. The vaccine is free and often carried at pharmacies. You don’t have anything to worry about.
The measles outbreak in B.C.’s lower mainland is both fascinating and chilling. Personally, I am in utter disbelief- I remember reading about it for the first time, realizing that the article wasn’t from the Onion. Measles? Today? In Canada?
Measles is a virus that infects the cells in the back of your throat and lungs. Early symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose and red spots with white centres that appear on the back of the tongue and throat. A characteristic rash spreads to cover the entire body.
The measles virus is extremely contagious; before the discovery of the vaccine in 1963, measles used to decimate populations. It killed up to HALF of the people it infected- hundreds and hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
Tragically, the effects of measles are suffered most severely by children less than 5 years old. For every 1,000 children who contract measles, 1-2 may suffer encephalitis (swelling of the brain, which can lead to mental retardation) while many others may suffer permanent hearing and vision loss. Scarring, neurological damage, and seizures have also been documented. Pneumonia and diarrhea occur in 5-10% of infected individuals, posing the most serious risk of death to children.
The Measles Vaccine and B.C.
With the introduction of the vaccine 1963, North American measles levels dropped to less than 2% of their previous values. The thing is: for the vaccine to keep the virus under wraps like that, 95% of the people in a given community have to be vaccinated. Achieving this 95% rate hasn’t been a problem in most organized groups of intelligent humans. Where it has been a problem: Chilliwack.
Although the Fraser Valley Health Authority refused to name the exact source of the outbreak, news outlets identified Mount Cheam Christian School, located in Chilliwack, B.C. The vaccination rate in the community surrounding the school sits between 60-70%, and Dr. Victoria Lee of the Fraser Health Authority stated that “in some of the schools (…) the immunization rates are as low as zero per cent”.
Mount Cheam is a member of the Society for Christian Schools in B.C., and offers an “integrated worldview”, allowing students to “critique non-biblical teachings”. I won’t bash the religious part excessively- I respect the right of Canadian citizens to fulfill their spiritual selves, and I absolutely defend the right of families to have this extend into formal religious education.
This isn’t about religious education. This is about a group of people who are spreading measles because they don’t support community health initiatives, despite enjoying the benefits of group immunization.
See, when large numbers of people get vaccinated for measles, the protection extends to the unvaccinated people living among them. Epidemiologists call this ‘herd immunity’. You might not have been vaccinated for measles, but if everyone else was, you’ll never contract it.
We can, so we should.
With coordinated vaccination campaigns around the world, we eliminated smallpox. We are indescribably privileged to have the tools and resources to eradicate infectious diseases at our disposal.
The public invests billions of dollars in medical research, and we employ some of the most brilliant minds on the planet for these endeavours. Our public health authorities document and track disease progression over decades to find clues that will help protect Canadians and other global citizens.
Chilliwack Poses Infection Threat to Haiti
Mount Cheam recently announced that they had cancelled a trip to Haiti because of the measles outbreak in the school.
Imagine if they hadn’t cancelled the trip. Imagine if the first diagnosis came a few days late, after Canada shipped off a plane-load of measles-infected children to Haiti.
Ironically, the measles vaccination rate in Haiti is 91%, much higher than in Chilliwack. However, Haiti is still rebuilding after being shattered a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in 2010, and can’t offer the medical amenities that are available to Canadian measles victims. Additionally, over half of Haitian children under nine haven’t had both doses of the vaccine, necessary to ensuring complete immunity. Without the proper care, many, many people could die of an imported infection.
Anti-vaccination has roots in personal freedom, and I understand that Canadian society is predicated on similar tenets. However, allowing diseases to run rampant when we have the capacity to stop them is both irresponsible and ignorant.
Vaccination has a proven capacity to eliminate diseases and the suffering that they cause. Even if you are on the fence about it, it is your responsibility to do your homework. Un-vaccinated pockets of people are why horrible diseases like measles persist in populations. It is an important decision that impacts a tremendous number of people, not just you.
For information on measles from the BC Centre For Disease Control (BCCDC): http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/overview.html
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Measles+outbreak+forces+health+authorities+sound+alarm/9598140/story.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/03/11/measles_outbreak_closes_bc_school.html
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/03/17/Vaccination-Issues/