As number of measles cases creep up in B.C., health authorities urge parents to vaccinate kids

There are now a dozen confirmed cases of measles in the province, the BC Centre for Disease Control says, and health authorities are strongly encouraging parents to make sure their kids get vaccinated against the disease.

Dr. Brian Conway, formerly with the Vancouver Infectious Disease Centre, says this is an increase from the five cases previously known cases.

Conway says vaccination is the best protection against the disease.

“We need to speak to parents and reassure them that this has been part of the usual process of vaccinating children for a generation,” he told 1130 NewsRadio. “We need to reassure them that the vaccine is safe and effective.

“If they have any concerns, they need to voice them, and we need to address the concerns.”

Conway says vaccination rates in B.C. are slightly higher than in some other provinces, which is why the province isn’t dealing with the same number of cases as Alberta and Ontario, with 2,000 and 600 known infections, respectively.

However, he says that having even just a dozen cases in this province is concerning.

“The average for nearly two decades was under 100 cases nationwide over an entire year,” he said.

“So 12 is still quite problematic in my mind.”

COVID-19 pandemic triggered shift in public perspective

Conway says COVID-19 changed the way the public sees vaccines in general.

“Before the pandemic, no one would question measles vaccination, and vaccination rates exceeded 90 per cent,” he said.

“As more and more individuals questioned COVID vaccines, they questioned everything, even the vaccines that they were used to before the pandemic.”

Conway says vaccination rates dropped as low as 50 per cent in some parts of Canada. British Columbia was slightly better in this regard, but some areas in the province fell below 70 per cent.

“This is unacceptable,” he said. “This is a disease that can be eliminated by vaccination, and the way in which it reappears is if we reduce vaccination rates. I think that that is the root cause of what we’re seeing. We have to have an honest discussion about it.”

Conway says anyone who is unsure of their vaccination status should get the vaccine.

— With files from Srushti Gangdev.