BC Unvaccinated Youth Addressing Physicians for Measles Injections

With the recent increase in the number of measles cases in the Lower Mainland, some young people whose parents chose not to vaccinate them when they were younger now seem to be taking charge – and contacting the doctors themselves.

"The recent measles outbreaks have caused many people to rethink their views and have been told about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines," said Dr. Eric Cadesky.

"Many people are turning to their school mates and working as well as in online communities and discovering that vaccines are safe and effective and that they can be protected in a way that their parents may not have decided to protect before. " he said.

Cadesky is the president of Doctors of BC.

He told Daily Hive that in that province there was no minimum age for making a medical decision, as long as that person was deemed able and able to make that decision himself.

And so far, this means that previously unvaccinated young people get vaccinated themselves, regardless of the decision made by their parents in the past.

"I saw people between the ages of 12 and 14 come in and ask about vaccines and looking for ways to protect themselves, that their parents did not tell them," he said. "Now that we are seeing very serious diseases that can be totally avoided, people are starting to wonder why we are seeing them again."

Symptoms of measles:

Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and red, inflamed eyes (often sensitive to light), usually beginning 7 to 14 days after exposure.

These are followed three to seven days later by a rash that begins on the face and neck, then spreads over the chest, arms and legs and lasts for at least three days. . You may also notice spots inside your mouth that look like small grains of sand on a red base.

• Check your vaccination record to make sure that you and your children have received two doses of measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV). Your vaccination card or doctor can provide you with this information. Adults 18 years and older, born in 1970 or later, require two doses of measles vaccine; children aged 12 months to less than 18 years, health care workers and adults attending post-secondary institutions are required to receive two doses; those born before 1970 are generally considered immune.
• If your vaccination record is not up to date, contact your local public health unit.
• Infants under one year old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems can be very affected by measles and should contact their health care professional immediately for further evaluation.
• Monitor the symptoms of measles until 21 days after exposure. These include high fever, cold-like symptoms (cough / runny nose); sore eyes or sensitivity to light; small spots with a white center inside the mouth; and a red rash lasting four to seven days.

Last week, a Vancouver Metropolitan resident petitioned for mandatory vaccinations in British Columbia.

At the time of writing these lines, nearly 31,000 people had signed it.

Eric Zimmer

Editor at the Daily Hive.