The hum of anxious chatter filled the small community hall in Kamloops as parents and children waited their turn. Among them was Melissa Chen, cradling her 13-month-old daughter while her 4-year-old son pressed against her leg.
“I thought we were protected,” she told me quietly. “Then I heard about the cases in Vancouver and realized my son had missed his booster when we moved here last year.”
Last week, Interior Health launched a series of measles vaccine catch-up clinics across the region in response to rising cases throughout British Columbia. The initiative comes after six confirmed measles cases were reported in the Vancouver Coastal Health region since January, with two additional suspected cases under investigation in the Interior.
Dr. Silvina Mema, Medical Health Officer for Interior Health, explained the urgency behind the clinic rollout. “Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know. One infected person can spread it to 12 to 18 unprotected individuals, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room.”
The Interior Health clinics are targeting children aged 6 months to 17 years who are behind on their MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations, though adults born after 1970 who are unvaccinated or uncertain of their status are also encouraged to attend.
When I visited the Kamloops clinic this Tuesday, nurses had administered over 60 vaccines before noon. Sara Holloway, an Interior Health immunization coordinator, shared that attendance has exceeded expectations. “We’re seeing families who simply fell behind during the pandemic when routine appointments were disrupted, as well as those who previously had concerns but are now seeking protection.”
The BC Centre for Disease Control reports that provincial measles vaccination rates dropped from 90% pre-pandemic to approximately 87% currently for two-year-olds. While this may seem like a small decline, public health experts warn that measles requires at least 95% immunization coverage to prevent community spread due to its exceptional contagiousness.
At the Williams Lake clinic, I met Janice Westfield, a public health nurse who has worked in the region for over 20 years. “We’re seeing a generational gap in understanding,” she observed while preparing doses. “Many younger parents have never witnessed measles and don’t fully grasp why we’re so concerned. But those of us who saw it before widespread vaccination remember the suffering it caused.”
The disease is far more than just a rash. It typically begins with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Small white spots may appear inside the mouth before the characteristic red rash spreads across the body. Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), and even death.
For 35-year-old Mark Sutherland, a forestry worker from Revelstoke who brought his three children to be vaccinated, the decision came from personal experience. “My uncle had measles as a kid that led to hearing loss. I wasn’t taking chances when I heard about the new cases.”
Indigenous communities across the Interior region have been particularly proactive in promoting the clinics. At the Chase vaccination site, health representatives from the Adams Lake Indian Band were present to support community members.
“Historical health inequities have sometimes meant our communities faced barriers to vaccination,” explained Sheila Muchell, a community health worker. “But we’re working to ensure everyone knows these clinics are accessible, culturally safe spaces for families to get protected.”
The measles resurgence isn’t unique to British Columbia. The Public Health Agency of Canada has reported increasing cases nationwide, part of a troubling global trend. According to the World Health Organization, global measles cases increased by 79% in 2023 compared to the previous year, with over 300,000 reported cases worldwide.
Dr. Mema stressed that while current BC case numbers remain relatively low, the situation could change rapidly without intervention. “We’re at a critical moment where we can prevent wider spread through vaccination,” she said.
For parents like Chen, the decision to attend the clinic was straightforward once she understood the risks. “When the nurse explained that measles can cause brain damage in about one in 1,000 infected children, that was it for me,” she said, watching as her son received his vaccine with barely a flinch.
Interior Health plans to continue the clinics through April, with extended hours at select locations to accommodate working families. Appointments can be booked through the provincial vaccination booking system, though walk-ins are also being accommodated when possible.
As I left the Kamloops clinic, volunteer Dorothea Williams was helping a mother schedule her infant’s follow-up dose. Williams, who contracted measles herself as a child in the 1960s, has been volunteering at immunization clinics since retirement.
“I spent two weeks in darkness because the light hurt my eyes so badly,” she recalled. “We have the privilege now of preventing that suffering. It’s really that simple.”
