Measles vaccine clinics to be held at 4 Halifax-area schools this weekend

Vernon Ramesar · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 05, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Nova Scotia Public Health is holding measles vaccine clinics astatine a fig of schools successful the Halifax country starting this play successful effect to a emergence successful cases successful different parts of Canada.

A quality merchandise from Nova Scotia Health connected Friday said determination person been nary cases of measles identified successful the province, but it says the disease spreads rapidly and tin origin superior complications.

Jennifer Turcot, a Public Health officer for the cardinal zone, said the clinics are unfastened to the nationalist and volition beryllium held successful antithetic areas of the municipality implicit the adjacent respective weeks.  

She said schools were chosen because they tin accommodate a ample fig of radical connected weekends.

Turcot said the clinics volition beryllium held for 4 weeks. The programme volition beryllium reassessed astatine that time.

Clinics volition beryllium disposable astatine 4 schools this weekend. No appointments are needed:

• Kingswood Elementary 34 Vrege Court, Hammonds Plains Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Oceanview Elementary 51 Oceanview School Rd., Eastern Passage Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Cole Harbour District High School 2 Chameau Crescent, Dartmouth Sunday, April 6 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
• George P. Vanier Junior High 1410 Fall River Rd., Fall River Sunday, April 6 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Turcot said everyone who has not already been vaccinated should get the vaccine. But she said it is particularly important for radical who are astatine higher hazard of processing terrible complications from the disease.

Those see radical with weakened immune systems, children nether the property of five, and those with idiosyncratic large successful their family.

Check vaccination status

Vaccination is the champion mode to beryllium protected from measles, she said, and everyone should cheque their vaccination presumption to find if they should get the vaccine.

"The measles vaccine has been astir for a agelong time. It is highly effectual and it is decidedly a harmless vaccine," Turcot said. 

"A azygous dose of measles vaccine is estimated to supply 85 to 95 per cent protection, but with a 2nd dose, it increases to astir 100 per cent. "

Turcot said erstwhile a steadfast idiosyncratic has received a people of  2 measles vaccines they are considered vaccinated for life, though radical with high-risk aesculapian conditions whitethorn necessitate a antithetic vaccine schedule. 

According to the release, infants property from six months to 11 months may be fixed 1 dose of MMR vaccine if they volition beryllium travelling. They volition inactive request two routine doses aft their archetypal birthday. 

Adults calved betwixt 1970 and 1995 lone received 1 dose arsenic children and different dose is recommended, the merchandise said.

It said adults are eligible for 2 doses to drawback up if puerility vaccines are missed.

Adults calved earlier 1969 are considered immune but tin get a azygous dose if travelling, the merchandise said.