Children in Peel Region risk catching measles due to low vaccination rates, warns doctor

As the number of measles cases continue to rise across Ontario, a Peel Region doctor says parents should be wary of low vaccination rates and how that puts their children at risk for the highly contagious disease that can be fatal.

The most recent numbers are from last year, but they're in the spotlight again as Europe grapples with measles outbreaks and the number of cases in Canada, mostly from travel, rise.

In Peel Region, the number of seven-year-olds considered fully vaccinated against measles went from 77 per cent in 2020 to 39 per cent in 2022, per a Public Health Ontario report.

That figure is "concerning," said Dr. Sanjeev Luthra, a pediatrician at the William Osler Health System.

"That substantially puts children and people at risk who are not immunized, especially if measles is in the community," he said.

One case of measles has been reported in Peel Region so far this year. Cases have also been reported in recent weeks in Toronto, Hamilton, York, and Simcoe.

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Dr. Pierre-Phillipe Piche-Renaud is a pediatric infectious diseases physician at SickKids. He's also the co-lead of a pilot project called the Vaccine Consult Service, and a member of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at Dalla Lana School of Public Health at University of Toronto.

The drastic drop in vaccination since 2020 might be partly due to the lack of mandated reporting during the pandemicamong school-aged children, Peel's public health agency told CBC Toronto in a statement.

The pandemic caused "significant disruptions" toroutineimmunizations because most primary care offices restricted in-person visits, and check-ups tookplace over telephone, according to the provincial report.

It also "contributed to diminished health care seeking behaviours among Canadians, including deferred immunizations," the report says.

That can mean a transmission rate of over 90 per cent in the community for kids who are not vaccinated, Luthra says.

Peel suspending unvaccinated students

Symptoms include red rash, fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and fatigue, and may start around 10 days after exposure but can appear anywhere from seven to 21 days later.

While some of the illness can be mild, Luthra says there can be serious complications of having measles.

"Children can get very unwell. They may have to go to the doctor if they're sick, or they may have to go to the emergency department," he said. "Ifthey're sick enough, there can be even fatalities from measles."

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine offers over 85 per cent protection with one dose, and nearly 100 per cent with the second dose, Luthra says.

Peel's health agency told CBC Torontothat in an effortto increase vaccine uptakein the region it has "started to collect immunization information again this year and [is] sending out communications to parents/guardians of children whose records are incomplete or not up to date."

At some schools, unvaccinated students are being suspended under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, the agency says.

Peel District School Board says since staff are on holiday for March break the board can't provide specific details on vaccination suspensions at this time.