Experts urge Albertans to check measles vaccine status after confirmed Edmonton case

A confirmed case of measles in Edmonton has prompted another plea from health officials for people to make sure vaccinations are up to date.

"Because measles is so very transmissible, you need very high levels of protection to reduce the risk of breakthrough infection and going forward transmission in the community," infectious disease specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.

"It's not harmful to get a dose if you're not sure [if you've been vaccinated.]"

Measles will often start with cold-like symptoms -- a running nose, itchy eyes and fever before the tell-tale rash appears.

The initial symptoms are when you're most contagious.

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Officials say while the majority of people who get measles will be okay -- there's a risk for brain injury and even death.

There's also concern over the impact a measles outbreak could have on an already strained health care system.

"It will impact access to surgeries for every Albertan. It'll impact access to hospital care, cancer care you name all the components of the health care system that we're already having some difficulty and struggling with, it’ll make it infinitely worse," Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Paul Parks said.

The most recent data from Alberta Health from 2022 shows an 82 per cent coverage rate against measles.

Saxinger says that's not enough.

"Eighty per cent sounds OK. But for this particular disease, it is simply not enough. So I think that we would have real concerns that there could be pockets of under-vaccinated, under-protected people where this could spread."

A spokesperson says the 2023 data won't be made public until sometime this summer.