Скачать или смотреть Interior Health's Dr. Sue Pollock on measles

Interior Health's deputy chief medical health officer Dr. Sue Pollock talks about measles, complications, symptoms and vaccines. Learn more: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/measles

Where to get the measles vaccine in the Interior Health region: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/measles...

About measles

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can potentially cause serious complications ranging from ear infection and pneumonia to swelling of the brain called encephalitis. This can lead to convulsions, deafness or intellectual disability in some people.

Some complications can occur years after the infection. Pregnant people who develop measles have an increased risk of serious infection, hospitalization, miscarriage, premature labour and low birthweight infants. Measles is spread by an airborne virus when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and droplets are produced.

Measles is very contagious. It is one of the most highly infectious diseases. More than 90% of people who are not immunized against measles if exposed to the virus will get sick with measles. You can become infected when you breathe in these droplets. You can also get measles by touching these droplets on an object contaminated with the virus. The measles virus can also survive in small droplets in the air for several hours.

Measles vaccine is the best way to protect yourself against getting and spreading measles. Measles vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine. Two doses of a measles vaccine are almost 100% effective and the protection lasts for your entire lifetime. In Interior Health measles vaccine is provided free of charge through public health. For older children and adults, measles vaccine is also available through some community pharmacies. You can find the list of available clinics and pharmacies on our IH website.

Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis. Three to four days after the onset of fever, a rash begins in the hairline which spreads rapidly to the face and body. If you have similar symptoms, especially if you are unimmunized or have been in contact with a measles case, you should see a health-care provider to be tested. Please do notify the health-care provider or facility ahead of time so that they can take precautions to limit the spread to other patients. For more information visit interiorhealth.ca/measles

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