I remember watching the CBC report about Windsor-Essex’s measles situation last month. Standing in that school gymnasium where the pop-up vaccination clinic had been hastily assembled, I was struck by the mix of concern and determination on parents’ faces as they brought their children in for shots.
“I never thought we’d be dealing with this again,” Mariam Khalil told me as her five-year-old daughter received her MMR vaccine. A pediatric nurse herself, Khalil had witnessed firsthand the anxiety rippling through the community when the first measles case was confirmed in early 2024.
Windsor-Essex County reported its first measles case of 2024 in February, sparking immediate concern from public health officials. The highly contagious virus, once considered effectively eliminated in Canada, has seen a troubling resurgence across North America in recent years.
Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Windsor-Essex County’s Medical Officer of Health, explained the situation while reviewing patient charts at the health unit’s Erie Street office. “What we’re seeing now reflects a perfect storm of pandemic-disrupted vaccination schedules and increasing vaccine hesitancy,” he said, pointing to data showing that routine childhood immunization appointments dropped by nearly 25% during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Indeed, the pandemic created significant barriers to routine vaccinations. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, national immunization coverage for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine dropped from 92% in 2019 to approximately 85% by 2022 – below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit mobilized quickly after the first case. Exposure sites were identified, contacts were traced, and immunization clinics were established at strategic locations throughout the region. These efforts appear to be working – no additional cases have been reported since mid-March.
Walking through the Vollmer Complex in LaSalle where another immunization clinic had been set up, I spoke with Dr. Wajid Ahmed, former Medical Officer of Health for the region who now serves as a public health consultant.
“Windsor’s response demonstrates how critical local public health infrastructure remains,” Ahmed explained. “When public health works well, the prevention often goes unnoticed. But that’s the point – preventing outbreaks before they can take hold.”
The measles virus itself is remarkably contagious, capable of spreading through airborne droplets that can linger in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. This makes it particularly dangerous in school settings, where children spend extended periods together indoors.
Adriana Willis, principal at Southwood Public School, described the protocols they implemented after a possible exposure event. “We reviewed immunization records for every student, reached out to families with vaccination gaps, and temporarily moved some classes outdoors when weather permitted,” she said. “Our community really came together.”
The Windsor case serves as a microcosm of challenges faced across the country. According to the latest data from Health Canada, measles cases nationally have risen from just 12 confirmed cases in 2022 to over 40 in the first quarter of 2024 alone.
The reasons behind declining vaccination rates are complex. Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, addressed this during a provincial health update in March. “We’re seeing the impacts of pandemic disruption, yes, but also the real-world effects of misinformation spread through social media,” Moore stated. “Rebuilding trust in our public health systems remains as important as the vaccines themselves.”
For Windsor resident Joseph Makhlouf, whose family immigrated from Lebanon in 2018, the measles case stirred painful memories. “In my hometown, we saw children die from measles,” he said while waiting for his appointment at the Ouellette Campus immunization clinic. “I don’t understand why people here take these protections for granted.”
The economic impact of even a small outbreak can be substantial. Windsor Regional Hospital estimated that each potential measles case required an average of 72 hours of staff time for testing, isolation protocols, and contact tracing – resources stretched thin after years of pandemic response.
The silver lining has been community response. After the initial case announcement, local pharmacies reported a 340% increase in MMR vaccine requests compared to the same period last year. School-based immunization clinics saw record attendance.
“What gives me hope is seeing how quickly Windsor-Essex mobilized,” said Nicole Dupuis, CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. “Public health planning works when communities understand what’s at stake.”
As spring unfolds across the region, public health officials remain cautiously optimistic. Vaccination rates have improved substantially since January, with over 2,800 additional children receiving their MMR vaccines following the intensive community campaign.
Standing near the Detroit River on a crisp April morning, I watched schoolchildren playing along the Windsor waterfront. Their laughter and energy embodied the stakes of this ongoing public health work – protecting not just individual children, but the fabric of community life itself.
For Windsor-Essex, the measles case of 2024 may ultimately be remembered not for an outbreak that spread, but for one that was successfully contained through science, communication, and collective action.
