Canada’s chief public health officer urges parents to verify children’s immunisation status amid rising measles cases linked to declining vaccine coverage, warning that misinformation and socio-economic pressures threaten herd immunity as school resumes.
Canada’s chief public health officer is pressing parents to make sure routine childhood shots are current as the school year begins, warning that measles remains a live threat and that false claims about vaccines continue to spread online.
Dr. Joss Reimer said in an interview on Tuesday that vaccination records are worth checking now, before children spend more time in classrooms and other close-contact settings where viruses can move quickly. She said the national measles immunisation rate for two-year-olds is about 85 per cent, well below the roughly 95 per cent coverage needed for herd immunity. Public health officials have repeatedly warned since the major measles resurgence that two doses of a measles-containing vaccine are highly effective at preventing infection.
Canada lost its measles elimination status late last year after a multi-province outbreak that began in 2024, and provincial outbreaks have continued to flare up at different times since then. Québec, for example, has reported several separate outbreaks since early 2024, while recent cases have also been recorded in Manitoba, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada website.
Reimer said children should receive two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, usually at 12 to 15 months and again at around 18 months or when they start school, depending on the province. She urged parents who cannot find a child’s immunisation record to contact a family doctor, nurse practitioner or local public health unit.
The public health officer also said vaccine misinformation can be difficult for parents to avoid because social media algorithms often push misleading content into their feeds. She said many families who are behind on routine immunisations are not anti-vaccine, but are juggling money worries, work and other pressures that can push preventive care down the list. Public health agencies and medical groups, including the Canadian Paediatric Society, offer evidence-based guidance, she said.
Reimer said she is also concerned about other preventable diseases, including mumps, rubella and diphtheria. Canada’s coverage for diphtheria vaccine in two-year-olds is below 80 per cent, she said, adding that Australia is dealing with diphtheria outbreaks and that there is no reason a similar situation could not happen in Canada. Health officials have likewise stressed the importance of staying current on routine vaccines when travelling, or when outbreaks are reported elsewhere.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
