With the number of measles in Alberta increasing, there are growing calls for the provincial government to do more to help stop the spread.
Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the online tracker of online measles of the provincial government listed 13 confirmed cases of viruses in Alberta – it is two more cases than there were on Monday – with one more case in the Calgary and another region in Edmonton.
Eight of the listed case is found in the northern part of the province, where the vaccination rate is the lowest in Alberta.
On Tuesday, Alberta Health Services also published a public opinion on a confirmed case of measles with a visitor in Calgary and in the Taber region.
However, this case is not registered on the Dolle Tracker in the province because a spokesperson for Alberta Health said they were a visitor in Ontario and were now back in this province.
Measles is a very contagious and potentially deadly virus which, according to health experts, can easily prevent themselves from being vaccinated.
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On Tuesday, Alberta Health Services and the Calgary Board of Education sent a letter to the parents, staff and volunteers warning them of the virus, his symptoms and his information on the measles vaccine.
The letter also warns against the possibility of serious complications for people who contract the virus, including “ear infections, pneumonia, convulsions or inflammation of the brain” and it warns that “complications are more common in children under the age of five and pregnant or immunosquet people”.
David Brewerton, director of pharmacy at Luke’s Drug Mart in Calgary, says that the relatively low vaccination rate of Alberta is a huge problem because measles is extremely contagious – and in some cases can be fatal.
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David Brewerton, pharmacy director at Luke’s Drug Mart in Calgary, said the low vaccination rate in Alberta – 81.7% – is a problem “because measles is extremely contagious. So much so that you must be more than 95% vaccinated in the population in order to be considered as having herd immunity. ”
“The vaccine is a very effective long -standing vaccine – it has existed for decades and is quite effective,” added Brewerton.
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If you do not know if you are up to date on your vaccines, he advises people to call Alberta Health Link at 8-1-1.
“Normally, two doses – one is about 11 months old; the other, depending on where you are, could be at the age of kindergarten or until the age of high school. Anyway, two doses necessary for life coverage,” said Brewerton.
“If you get measles, which can be very mean, then it is also a life blanket – but you don’t really want to do it.”
People who get the virus can also be contagious for three or four days before they have them.
“If you think you have it, don’t go to your doctor’s office, don’t go in an emergency service,” said Brewerton.
“Call 8-1-1 and chat with them before you, because it’s incredibly contagious.”
It is also a very difficult disease on the body, said Brewerton. “There have been deaths – at least two that I know in Texas, both not vaccinated.
“In addition, people who get measles, which is roughly erased your immune system for two good years.”
Glen Anderson, of Ardrie, told Global News that he was “stunned” on the resurgence of the measles virus.
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Glen Anderson, who spoke to Global News outside Lukes Drug Mart, said he was amazed for the recent increase in measles.
“It is a bit surprising for me that people ignore something so important like that (that) was almost eradicated. You know, 10 or 15 years ago, we had not heard of measles. None of my children ever had any problems with it, “said Anderson.
Friends of Medicare asks the government of Alberta to propose a complete “action plan” to educate people on the dangers of measles and the importance of being vaccinated.
The increase in measles cases in Alberta also aroused a warning from Friends of Medicare that this can be “only the beginning”.
He calls on the provincial government to propose an action plan to prevent spread, in particular “general public education on the disease as well as a public health campaign on the importance of being vaccinated”.
In a press release sent Wednesday morning, Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare, calls measles “a horrible and completely avoidable disease”.
He also targeted the conservative party united in power, claiming that “a contempt concerning the importance of vaccines seems to have become normal for the course with our current government.”
In response to a Global News survey on the possibility of trying to strengthen vaccination figures, a spokesperson for the Minister of Health provided a written response which said “unfortunately, measles increases worldwide and across Canada, including here in Alberta.”
The Declaration adds that “the Alberta government is monitoring the situation very closely alongside our public health team, while providing regular resources and updates to Alberta.ca/measles To ensure that the Albertans have the information they need. »»
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