Measles outbreak
Measles is circulating in the VCH region. Are you protected?
VCH has recorded seven cases of measles infection in Bowen, Whistler and the Pemberton area since the beginning of June. Measles is a highly infectious disease that is vaccine-preventable. People who are not immunized are most at risk.
Medical Health Officers are encouraging everyone to be vaccinated including VCH staff, if they are not already protected against the infection, as soon as possible. It is your responsibility, as VCH staff, to ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.
Who needs to be protected?
Health care workers should check their vaccine records and get immunized if they were born 1957 or later and do not have two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine.
Children are recommended to receive two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella vaccine), first at 12 months of age and second at kindergarten entry. If parents request, the second dose can be given as early as four weeks after dose one for this outbreak situation.
Adults born 1970 or later should receive two doses of MMR vaccine. Young adults born 1994 and later, or grew up outside of B.C., may have received only one dose of the vaccine and require a second dose.
Adults born before 1970, are likely to be immune to measles. If immunization or disease history is uncertain, one dose of MMR can safely be administered.
Anyone who has ever had the infection does not need to be immunized.
Where can I get MMR vaccine?
Workplace Health provides free measles vaccination and immunizations for other preventable infections. Clinics are held in each community of care.
You can also get vaccinated at VCH public health units across the VCH region or at most physician offices and pharmacies.
It’s also a good time to remind health care workers to check their family’s records and encourage family members to get vaccinated if not already protected.
How is it spread?
Measles is highly infectious and spread through the air when someone who is infected coughs or sneezes. You don’t have to be in close contact with someone to contract the infection. You could spend just a few minutes in the same room as someone and get it, though, the closer the contact, the higher the risk.
This virus can survive in closed areas (ie a bathroom) for up to two hours after an infected person with measles was there. So people who are in the same air space during this two hour period can become infected.
People are infectious from four days before to four days after the onset of rash.
What are the symptoms?
- fever
- red eyes, which may be sensitive to light
- cough
- a runny nose
- rash
What should I do if I think a patient/client has the measles?
Mask and isolate the patient and ensure they are assessed by a physician.
The patient should call VCH Public Health at 1-855-675-3900 during regular business hours, and ask for the nurse on call, to report the illness.
In the event of an exposure, if staff do not have documented immunity, they may be not be permitted to work.
More information
If you have any questions about your vaccination status, please email ohnp@vch.ca.
For more general information about workplace health, visit Workplace Health on the Intranet.
For information such as posters and the physician’s update, see our measles outbreak page on the Intranet
Frequently asked questions for health care professionals
For more information such as treatment and photos of the symptoms check out HealthLink BC