Yukoners encouraged to check their measles vaccination status

The Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) and Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC) are reminding Yukoners to make sure they and their families are protected against measles.

Vaccination remains the best protection against the disease. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and close to 100 per cent effective in preventing measles.

You are considered protected against measles if:

• you have already had measles;
• you are born after 1970 and have had two doses of measles vaccine; or
• you are a health care worker and have had two doses of measles vaccine regardless of year of birth.

Your child is considered protected if:

• they are between 12 months and four years old and have had one dose of the measles vaccine; or
• they are older than four years and have had two doses of measles vaccine.

Those considered high-risk for severe illness include:

• infants under 12 months of age;
• unimmunized pregnant people; and
• unimmunized people with weakened immune systems.

Prevention.

To reduce the risk of measles infection, the CMOH and YCDC encourages all Yukoners to:

• stay up-to-date with their measles, mumps and rubella vaccination; and
• check their immunization records and ensure they have received two doses of the MMR or MMR-V vaccine.

If you are unsure about your immunization status or think you may need a vaccine, contact your health care provider or a local health centre for guidance.

• In Whitehorse, call the Whitehorse Health Centre at 867-667-8864.
• In the communities, contact your local community health centre for information or to arrange an appointment if needed.