Getting MMR vaccine harder following Disneyland outbreak

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ABBOTSFORD (NEWS1130) – Some parents taking their kids to Southern California in the next little bit may have a hard time finding someone to give their children a measles vaccine.

More people in the Fraser Health region are requesting the measles-mumps-rubella shot following a measles outbreak at Disneyland.

There is no shortage of the MMR vaccine in the Fraser Health region, but appointments to have someone administer the shot are in short supply. Fraser Health says it’s trying to add clinics to keep up with demand and they’re seeing patients traveling soon first. Tasleem Juma with the health authority says parents may have to go a different route. “In the meantime, if you can’t be accommodated for an appointment in one of our public health offices, then certainly your primary caregiver or a GP office or travel clinic may be able to help you as well.”

She adds people who have had one dose already are not the priority. “If you’ve had one does of the measles vaccine already, your coverage is already quite high. It’s at about 95 per cent. We’re comfortable with recommending that you can still travel at that point.”

The outbreak in the US started when an unvaccinated woman carrying the virus visited Disneyland and spread it to visitors. There are now nearly 100 cases in California, Michigan, Arizona, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska and Mexico. Babies under one year old and immunocompromised people are not able to be vaccinated.

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