A new government initiative for measles immunizations saw a large number of vaccinations in the first two months of the program, according to Health Minister Adrian Dix, with the Northern Health Authority also seeing an increase.
"We're making progress, you can see in these numbers, which are a dramatic increase over the same periods in previous years," Dix says in a press release. "We know that people, British Columbians, travel in the summer and this is a good time, if you haven't been immunized, to be immunized."
When it comes to Northern Health, the authority had a high number of immunizations recording roughly 455 from April 1 to May 30, 2019, in the age range of five to 17 (Kindergarten to Grade 12).
During this time period, Northern Health says they saw a four percent increase in the rates of immunization coverage against measles (from the rate as of April 1st 2019, and the rate on may 30, 2019), also in that same age range, which they say they are improving on the number of people who were previously under-immunized or non-immunized and the rates of protection
Health authorities have also reviewed more than half a million students' immunization records, and the parents and guardians of those with incomplete or missing records have been notified.
The information, combined with new immunizations, means the number of students confirmed to have both doses over the first two months rose by 23,876.
Dix says there have been 29 measles cases confirmed in the province, all linked to outbreaks at two French schools in Vancouver.
- With files from Canadian Press
Editor's note: a previous version of the story contained inaccurate numbers from Northern Health. The story now reflects the proper data.
