Canada's measles-free status revoked, US to follow suit soon
A worrying trend is unfolding across the Americas, with Canada and the US poised to lose their coveted "measles-free" designations. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently revoked Canada's status due to a recent surge in measles cases, which has left thousands of people infected over the past year.
The news comes as no surprise, given the highly contagious nature of measles and the alarming decline in childhood vaccination rates worldwide. As a global health expert, I've been warning about this trend for some time now.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases on the planet, with devastating consequences if left unchecked. The resurgence of measles in Canada after decades with very low numbers of cases is a symptom of a deeper issue – declining trust in public health messaging and decreased vaccination rates. This has led to growing vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases.
So what does it mean for a country to be considered "measles-free"? Simply put, it means that the disease has been eliminated from the local population through widespread vaccination efforts. However, this status can be easily lost if vaccination rates drop below 95%.
In Canada, childhood vaccination rates have been falling worldwide, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the risk of measles outbreaks grew, and the country's numbers reflected it. The PAHO's decision to revoke Canada's "measles-free" status is a stark reminder of the consequences of complacency.
But Canada isn't alone in this plight. The US has also seen significant outbreaks of measles this year, and it will likely soon follow suit. With more than 90% of kindergartners in the US vaccinated against measles, that rate is still too low to protect communities from outbreaks.
The PAHO's decision serves as a wake-up call for countries worldwide to prioritize vaccination efforts and rebuild trust in public health messaging. Without significant improvements in these areas, many countries are likely to face more frequent and larger outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in the coming years.
As we move forward, it's essential to recognize that the loss of "measles-free" status is not just a setback but a symptom of a deeper problem. It's time for governments and health organizations to take collective action to promote vaccination efforts, restore trust in public health messaging, and protect communities from the devastating consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases.
A worrying trend is unfolding across the Americas, with Canada and the US poised to lose their coveted "measles-free" designations. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently revoked Canada's status due to a recent surge in measles cases, which has left thousands of people infected over the past year.
The news comes as no surprise, given the highly contagious nature of measles and the alarming decline in childhood vaccination rates worldwide. As a global health expert, I've been warning about this trend for some time now.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases on the planet, with devastating consequences if left unchecked. The resurgence of measles in Canada after decades with very low numbers of cases is a symptom of a deeper issue – declining trust in public health messaging and decreased vaccination rates. This has led to growing vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases.
So what does it mean for a country to be considered "measles-free"? Simply put, it means that the disease has been eliminated from the local population through widespread vaccination efforts. However, this status can be easily lost if vaccination rates drop below 95%.
In Canada, childhood vaccination rates have been falling worldwide, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the risk of measles outbreaks grew, and the country's numbers reflected it. The PAHO's decision to revoke Canada's "measles-free" status is a stark reminder of the consequences of complacency.
But Canada isn't alone in this plight. The US has also seen significant outbreaks of measles this year, and it will likely soon follow suit. With more than 90% of kindergartners in the US vaccinated against measles, that rate is still too low to protect communities from outbreaks.
The PAHO's decision serves as a wake-up call for countries worldwide to prioritize vaccination efforts and rebuild trust in public health messaging. Without significant improvements in these areas, many countries are likely to face more frequent and larger outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in the coming years.
As we move forward, it's essential to recognize that the loss of "measles-free" status is not just a setback but a symptom of a deeper problem. It's time for governments and health organizations to take collective action to promote vaccination efforts, restore trust in public health messaging, and protect communities from the devastating consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases.
I'm literally shaking my head over this news... how can a country like Canada just lose its "measles-free" status like that?! 
It's not even like it was a surprise or anything, but still... thousands of people infected, and it's all because of low vaccination rates. I mean, what happened to the good old days where we thought vaccination was the answer to all our problems? 
I know we've been through a lot with COVID-19, but vaccination rates shouldn't have dropped that low. We need to wake up and take action! 
. i remember when my little cousin was a kid, everyone got vaccinated and we never heard about measles again 
. now with covid and all the misinformation out there, ppl are just too scared to get their kids vaccinated 
. and the rates of vaccination are still not high enough, like 90% in the US is still pretty low 
. what's next, smallpox? 
. what's crazy is how low childhood vaccination rates have dropped, especially since covid 
. it's like people forgot about the importance of gettin' vaccinated 
basically its means we've gotten rid of the disease thru widespread vaccinations 
. but if thats not 95%+ and outbreaks happen, we're outta luck 
.
. we need to rebuild trust in public health messaging ASAP 
. no more complacency 
.
those were the days when you'd see posters everywhere saying "get vaccinated" and people actually listened 
now it's just another disease spreading like wildfire 
US is next, too... I'm not surprised tho, been hearing about this decline in vaccination rates for ages 
but what's even more concerning is that we're seeing a decline in childhood vaccination rates worldwide. like, it's not just canada or the us, it's happening everywhere 
it's like, we're basically setting ourselves up for failure.
.
? What happened to people who got vaccinated? Why did they stop showing up for their kids' vaccinations? I mean, I know some parents are anti-vaxx but come on, it's not that hard to get shots done 
. Can't we just take this one step at a time? 
measles is so contagious it's like a ticking time bomb just waiting to unleash a disaster 
or else we'll be facing some major problems 
gotta step up our game if we wanna protect ourselves and our communities 
; they can save lives, but only if we all do our part to support them.
.
.
? i've been hearing about this trend for a while now and its scary me and my family are all fully vaccinated 
but seriously, measles is like super contagious and if we dont get our act together, its gonna be a disaster 
. I mean, it's not like they didn't have enough time to get their vaccination rates back on track... oh wait, they did