Interior Health is organizing a vaccination clinic for children under the age of 12 at the South Cariboo Health Centre this Saturday.
This clinic is being organized as part of a broader effort by IH to host immunization clinics across the region over the next six weeks to protect the region from measles, according to IH's medical health officer Dr. Sanaz Vaseghi. The vaccine being distributed at the clinics is the MMR vaccine, also known as the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, two doses of which are almost 100 per cent effective in preventing people from catching these serious diseases.
"There is no confirmed case of measles in the Interior at this time. However, cases have been confirmed in other parts of B.C. and Canada and we recognize people from the Interior are travelling to other places in the province and country," Vaseghi said. "These clinics are intended to raise immunization rates, recognizing two doses of the measles vaccine are almost 100 per cent effective in preventing this serious illness and last a lifetime. Immunizations are the best defence against measles and other infectious diseases."
The MMR vaccine is among those that doctors recommend parents give to children while they're young, typically on their first birthday and then again around the age of four and six. IH noted it recommends parents move up plans to give their children the first and second dose if they intend to travel to an area where measles is more common or actively spreading.
Vaseghi said IH also recommends adults check their immunization records to ensure they are also protected against the disease, especially if they were born in 1970 or later. A single dose of the vaccine will not provide adequate coverage.
"Interior Health encourages individuals of all ages to check their immunization records to see if they are protected against measles, and to get immunized if they are not," Vaseghi reiterated.
The clinic being held in 100 Mile House on Saturday, June 7, is by appointment only for children under the age of 12 and will be held at 555D Cedar Avenue. Parents who wish to book a spot are asked to call 250-395-7676.
Anyone over the age of 12 or who is unable to attend the clinic this Saturday can still get access to the MMR vaccine throughout the year. Infants, children and adults can get free vaccines from their local health unit or health centre and some doctors and nurse practitioners also give the vaccines out. They are also available for children four years old and older at a pharmacy.
To find a complete list of local pharmacies that offer the MMR vaccine in B.C., you can go online to bcpharmacy.ca/mmr.
In their release announcing the clinic, IH noted measles is a highly contagious virus that can spread through the air. Furthermore, people can spread the disease to others before they show symptoms, and it can linger in the air of a room for several hours. If you suspect you or your child has caught measles, IH asks you to inform staff in the emergency room so they can mitigate the spread to other patients.
For more information about measles, the public can visit www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/measles or call 8-1-1.
