Pharmacists across B.C. are reporting an increased demand for measles booster shots and vaccinations after the province called on the public to make sure its vaccinations are up-to-date.
One Lower Mainland pharmacy reported providing 30 immunizations a day, according to the B.C. Pharmacy Association.
“Our pharmacists have seen an increase in demand from patients wanting to get MMR vaccines,” said pharmacist Linda Gutenberg, Deputy CEO of the B.C. Pharmacy Association. “Pharmacies are open late in the evening, on weekends and holidays. That’s why we are one of the most accessible and convenient health-care providers in the province.”
The number of confirmed measles cases in the Lower Mainland has reached 13, with another case spreading outside of the province after someone from the Vancouver Coastal Health region flew from Vancouver International Airport to Inuvik, N.W.T., after a stop in Edmonton on Feb. 12.
The pharmacy association recommends patients call one of the 1,300 local pharmacies in B.C. beforehand to make sure they have enough of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine on hand.
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory symptom spread through coughing and sneezing. While there is no cure, the disease can be prevented in 97 per cent of cases through the MMR vaccine.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control recommends that children get two doses of the vaccine, with the first dose given at 12-months-old and the second dose at 4- to 6-years old. For un-immunized children or adolescents, the public health body recommends getting two doses of the measles-containing vaccine.
