As Alberta Health Services encourages immunization against measles following recent outbreaks in B.C., the United States and Europe, the province’s electronic medical record system is unable to confirm vaccinations from decades ago.
While children are the main focus of the current call to vaccinate, AHS says adults should also be protected against the disease.
“It can be a bit more serious in adults,” said Dr. Jia Hu, Alberta Health Services’ medical officer of health for the Calgary zone. “The main risk with measles, in general, is just how contagious it is. If you’re not immunized or if you haven’t had measles before, if you’re exposed to someone with measles your chance of getting it is extremely high.”
In Alberta, children are normally inoculated at the age of one and received a second booster of the vaccine between the ages of four and six.
The province did not introduce electronic health records until 1984 and the paper records compiled before then were not entered into the digital system. For Albertans born prior to 1984, it is extremely difficult to verify what shots they have received.
Family doctors may have records or a call to Alberta Health Services at 811 would initiate a search of the paper vaccination records on file. For adults who are uncertain if they have been vaccinated against measles, AHS says they should call 811 to ask about their immunization history and they will be directed to a local health clinic for further assessment if required.
The majority of Albertans born before 1970 likely contracted the virus previously and would have developed an immunity.
With files from CTV’s Chris Epp
