Health Minister Sylvia Jones insists Ontario’s strategy to fight measles is working despite a growing number of cases that included a sharp rise of 223 infections reported last week.
She defended efforts by Premier Doug Ford’s government and chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore as other provinces have managed to put a lid on any increases of the highly infectious respiratory disease that causes fever, a red blotchy rash, watery eyes and coughing.Ìý
- Hannah Alberga The Canadian Press
“Over a year ago, he directed public health units to refocus their efforts on childhood vaccination,” Jones told reporters Wednesday in Brampton.Ìý
Asked if that’s working, Jones replied “I believe it is” and encouraged anyone who has not had a free measles shot to get one.Ìý
“There is no shortage.”Ìý
Measles cases are heavily concentrated in the southwest part of the province, in rural and farming communities. The disease had been considered eradicated in theÌý province for two decades. Moore has said many of the current cases can be traced to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick last fall.Ìý
“There’s certain communities in Ontario, for religious reasons, are not getting their kids vaccinated,” Ford said later Wednesday at the legislature.Ìý
“I encourage anyone and everyone, you need to get your kids vaccinated, because, if not, it (measles) just starts spreading,” he added.
“The problem is, you can’t force a community to get vaccinated … how do you force someone? Do you grab their kid and start jabbing them with a needle?”
As of last week, Alberta had confirmed 210 cases of the highly contagious disease, the majority
The increase in Ontario cases last week was the highest weekly rise since the outbreak began. At least 1,243 people have caught measles since October, with 84 hospitalizedÌý— 63 of them children.Ìý
New cases had been limited to about 100 in previous weeks, prompting deeper concerns about Ontario’s approach which some critics say has been low-profile compared with efforts from Ford, Jones and Moore at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when frequent news conferences were televised.
“Parents are worried about sending their kids to school,” New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles said. “I’m not seeing this government taking this issue with the urgency...that people expect.”Ìý
Liberal MPP Adil Shamji (Don Valley East), an emergency room physician and his party’s health critic, accused the government of “throwing up its hands” and offering “lukewarm measures” to fight the outbreak.
“It is inexplicable to me... that the minister of health could stand at a press conference this morning and say that the government’s measles response is working. It is not working.”
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Part of the problem has been that some families fell behind on their childhood vaccination schedules during the pandemic.Ìý
“There’s no doubt that there are outbreaks in certain communities,” Jones said as she touted an investment of up to $300 million coming in next Wednesday’s provincial budget to establish as many as 17 new or expanded primary-care clinics in areas hardest hit by Ontario’s doctor shortage. They will be teaching clinics associated with Ontario medical schools.Ìý
“The focus needs to be on, first, reminding caregivers and parents the value and the efficacy of a measles vaccine that have been in place for over 50 years in the province of Ontario,” she said, citing a social media campaign and increased efforts by some health units to hold special vaccine clinics.
“With two doses you have over 97 per cent protection.”
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