BC Health Minister, Adrian Dix, has recently stated that all schools in the province will require parents to submit immunization records for students starting September 2019.
The announcement followed an outbreak in the Lower Mainland in which 13 cases of measles were recorded.
Schools will require kids’ immunization status by fall, B.C. health minister says https://t.co/E8N453PLWG
— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) February 26, 2019
Some sources say that parents who refuse to provide vaccination records this fall will be required to take a course that teaches them the risks of not immunization their children; however these reports are unconfirmed as of the time of publication.
Earlier this week, a total of 33 students who had not provided immunization records to Vancouver schools were asked to stay home.
Victoria Buzz has reached out to the BC Ministry of Health for further details and confirmation.
See also:
- 70% of Canadians want mandatory vaccinations for children entering school (REPORT)
- Vaccination rates for measles have dropped by 12% in six years on Vancouver Island
- Health services warn public after measles cases pass from BC to Alberta
Measles in BC
In a recent study conducted by the Angus Reid Institute, 70% of respondents said that vaccinations should be mandatory while 24% said it should be the parent’s choice. Meanwhile, 7% fell in neither camp and said they were unsure.
Moreover, BC CDC reports show that the immunization rate in 7-year-old children on Vancouver Island has decreased by 12-13% on Vancouver Island, and by 7% in B.C. between 2012 and 2018.
Last week, Alberta Health Services issued an alert warning the public of possible exposure to measles after one airline passenger who was infected with the disease flew out of Vancouver to Edmonton on February 12th.
The MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine is provided by any of the locations listed on this website, your family doctor, many pharmacists (for children 5 and over), and travel clinics.
Those who are unsure about their immunization history are asked to contact the public health authority at which they received their vaccines.
If you have questions about vaccination, Island Health encourages you to contact your local public health unit.
Follow BC CDC on Twitter for updates of the situation on the mainland.
