Manitoba experts ‘worried’ as uptake of measles vaccine drops 3 per cent

A decline in measles vaccination rates in Manitoba is cause for worry among some health experts.

Statistics from the provincial government say, in 2022, an average of 77.1 per cent of children up to two years old had their first measles vaccine, and 72.4 per cent had their second by age seven. That’s a 3-per cent decrease from the year before.

“We saw a decrease in uptake during the pandemic due to a lot of access issues,” Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, said.

Dr. Joss Reimer, president-elect of the Canadian Medical Association, echoed this but also added misconceptions about vaccines also play a role.

“What’s surprising to me is that, coming out of a pandemic where we had a vaccine that was so successful, that we’re seeing a decrease in vaccine rates instead of an increase. I think that says a lot about all of the disinformation and fear campaigns,” she said.

In order to achieve herd immunity against measles, Reimer said more than 90 per cent — and as much as 95 per cent — of the population must be immune, because the virus is so infectious.

“Either because they’ve had (measles) in the past,” she said, “or because they’ve had the vaccine.”

The provincial stats show that the Winnipeg health region pulls up the lead in children up to seven receiving their second dose, with 80.5 per cent. The lowest is in the southern health region, with 63.5 per cent for that same demographic.

“That makes me incredibly worried about what would happen if the virus showed up here,” Reimer said.

Even though, as Manitoba reports, rates increase for kids up to 17 years old, Reimer says susceptible populations are still at risk.

“Even if the whole population has a really good immunity level, if all the kids under seven are much, much lower and the virus shows up,” she said, “you’re going to see a lot of spread and an outbreak in that small group of kids just because that’s where there’s a lot of susceptibility.”

Reimer said most people in their 60s through to 80s are probably immune.

“For the most part, we’d say if you’re born before 1970, you’re considered immune,” Roussin said. “There was such widespread transmission in those cohorts.”

For those unsure of their measles vaccine status, Roussin said there’s an online form you can fill out and submit.

Alternatively, there is always “speaking to public health in your region, or to your primary care provider,” he said.

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