Good morning.
For months now, the number of measles cases in Canada has been growing. The national outbreak started in New Brunswick last fall, and has now spread to multiple provinces.
The virus, which can have deadly outcomes for the unvaccinated, has already claimed the life of a premature baby in Ontario. And several people across the country have been hospitalized with the illness, long been considered eliminated in Canada with the introduction of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in the 1970s.
Here in Alberta, where vaccine hesitancy is rather acute, the numbers grow daily, with cases in the province likely to cross the 1,000 mark on Friday.
At the centre of the outbreak in the province is the town of Taber.
Globe health reporter Alanna Smith spent some time in the southern Alberta community recently to try and understand why.
“Everything is so polarized,” said Cam Hazell, a pharmacist at Johnson’s Drugs in Taber’s town centre.
Hazell said it’s nearly impossible these days to change people’s outlook on vaccines.
“People seem to be pretty entrenched in their views.”
Hazell said uptake of all vaccines has declined significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, with people now in one of two camps: pro- or anti-vaccine.
In the municipality, which encompasses the town, only 28.7 per cent of children born in 2022 had the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine by their second birthday in 2024, the lowest rate in the province.
The outbreak is bad enough in the South Zone that the province has even abandoned site-specific alerts about measles exposures, opting instead for a standing advisory in place, meaning anyone living in or visiting the area is at significant risk of being exposed.
Of course, vaccine hesitancy does match relatively closely with provincial policy, which has eased back on its public campaigns for all vaccines.
Last week, Premier Danielle Smith announced that the province would no longer cover COVID vaccines for most Albertans, saying scores of doses were wasted last year without being used.
On her regular radio appearance last weekend, the Premier added to the growing skepticism around vaccines.
“I think it’s because it doesn’t work particularly well, if you want the truth,” Smith said, referring to the COVID shot.
While many have pointed the finger at specific religious or cultural communities as the reason why the outbreak has persisted, measles can be an issue for everyone.
Speaking to Alanna in Taber, Rhien DeGagne said he had to have a tough conversation with his daughter, who was hesitant about getting her kids vaccinated.
“I said, you know, at the end of the day, you have to live with the decision you made. If something bad happens to your child, that’s on you.”
Since January, 75 people have been hospitalized for measles in Alberta, 12 of whom have required intensive care.
This is the weekly Alberta newsletter written by Alberta Bureau Chief Mark Iype. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for it and all Globe newsletters here.