The Chief Medical Officer of Health is reminding Newfoundlanders and Labradorians of the importance of vaccination against measles.

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can spread very quickly through unvaccinated or under-vaccinated populations. While most people who get infected with measles will recover, some may be left with a disability and some may die.

Measles activity is increasing around the world, with many areas of Europe seeing unusually high numbers of measles cases. Although measles vaccination rates have declined in Canada over the past several years, as people travel more in the coming months, an increase in measles cases is likely in this country.

Thankfully, vaccination against measles is extremely effective at preventing measles infection if you come into contact with the virus.

Newfoundland and Labrador offers protection against measles as part of the routine childhood immunization program at 12 and 18 months of age. The province benefits from one of the highest vaccination rates in Canada. In 2022, 94.7 per cent of two-year-olds and 92.6 per cent of kindergarteners in Newfoundland and Labrador were fully vaccinated with two doses of measles-containing vaccines.

Individuals are at very low risk of catching measles if they have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or if they have been infected with the measles virus in the past.

At this time, we are making the following recommendations to those who are travelling outside Canada, particularly to areas where measles is known to spread or to an area where there is a measles outbreak:

• Infants six to 12 months of age, should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travelling. These children will still need to be vaccinated with MMR at 12 and 18 months of age.
• Individuals born in or after 1970 should ensure they have had two doses of MMR vaccine prior to traveling.
• Individuals born before 1970 should ensure they have had one dose of MMR vaccine prior to traveling.

Please contact your public health clinic for further information.

If you are unsure if the area you are visiting is at higher risk for measles, please discuss with your primary care practitioner or local public health office.

People returning from travel abroad who feel sick are encouraged to put on a well-fitting N95 mask or medical mask, limit contact with others, and tell a flight attendant, cruise staff, or border services officer when entering the country to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases in Canada.

Residents who develop symptoms of measles after returning from travel are asked, unless it is a medical emergency, to call a health care provider or 811 immediately for further instruction.

Currently, there are no probable or confirmed cases of measles in the province.

-30-

Avis public : La médecin hygiéniste en chef encourage la vaccination contre la rougeole

Learn more
Follow us on X @GovNL and @HCS_GovNL

Like us on Facebook