Why higher measles vaccination coverage matters so much now [Video]

Measles is so infectious that when under-vaccinated individuals mingle, they’ll always be at risk. That’s why public health officials are stressing the importance of high vaccination rates amid backsliding and growing outbreaks.

The disease is spreading across the country, with hundreds of cases reported this year and the majority in Ontario. The resurgence comes amid falling childhood immunization rates; measles was declared officially eradicated in Canada in 1998, aside from the occasional travel-related case.

The virus spreads easily through airborne droplets and usually causes fever, cough and redness of the eyes to start. What follows includes white spots next to the molars and a distinctive red rash that usually starts around the hairline and moves down the body.

Before effective measles vaccines were developed, most children got the disease and eventually recovered. But physicians stress that it can cause severe complications and can result in hospitalization, including intensive care. In …