Measles
Measles is a highly contagious disease. It is possible to become infected and catch the disease without having been in direct contact with a person suffering from measles. For example, it may be enough to have been in the same room as a contagious person, even for a short time.
As of March 4, 2024, 84% of 2-year-olds in Estrie were adequately vaccinated. If your child is not vaccinated and a case of measles is reported in the school or daycare setting, he or she must be removed from that environment for the duration of the outbreak.
Signs and Symptoms
Measles is a potentially serious respiratory viral infection in children. People with the disease usually have:
- A high fever
- Eye redness
- Flu-like symptoms (cough and runny nose)
- A characteristic reddish skin rash on the face, torso, and limbs that may appear a few days after the onset of symptoms.
Complications
Complications of measles can be common and include:
- Ear infection
- Pneumonia
- Hospitalization
- Damage to the brain causing significant developmental delays
- Death
Transmission
The virus can survive for several hours suspended in the air, and can even disperse. The disease can also be transmitted by direct contact with an infected person or contaminated objects.
If you have symptoms
Call 811 as soon as symptoms appear, for directions to one of our facilities. On site, wear a mask, speak directly to a member of staff and do not sit in the waiting room to avoid contaminating others.
The 811 staff may also refer you to your family doctor for an appointment, or to the Primary Care Access Point :
- online at gap.soinsvirtuels.gouv.qc.ca
- or by calling 811, option 3.
Frequently asked questions
If you have symptoms
Call 811 as soon as symptoms appear. You might be referred to your clinic to make an appointment with your family doctor. If you don't have a family doctor, call the Primary Care Access Point at 811and select option 3 OR complete the questionnaire at gap.soinsvirtuels.gouv.qc.ca
Inform the clinic of your symptoms before going there. The staff there will tell you what precautionary measures must be followed to avoid infecting others.
Treatment
Since no treatment is yet available for measles, vaccination is the best protection against the disease. The regular vaccination schedule includes a first dose at 12 months of age and a second dose at 18 months of age.
The recent decline in the proportion of adequately vaccinated young children opens the door to a major upsurge of measles in our region. In the event of an outbreak, unvaccinated children will need to be removed from the affected school or child-care setting. They can be reintegrated when no cases have been reported for a period of 14 days.
Does the vaccine have any side effects?
Vaccinating children against measles is safe. The most common side effects are:
- Mild fever
- Drowsiness or irritability.
There are a number of myths surrounding vaccination. Note that numerous studies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Quebec confirm that there is no link between autism or other developmental disorders and measles vaccination.
Where to get vaccinated
Several locations offer vaccination; consult clicsanté by following these steps to find the point of service near you:
Steps
- Select the Vaccination category,
- Select the Measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine sub-category,
- Enter your postal code in the box and click on Search.
For children aged 12 to 20 months
How to determine if your child has been fully vaccinated?
Your child's vaccination record contains a table with each of the recommended vaccines according to age. The record is separated into sections for each disease for which vaccination is recommended.
Compare the vaccines listed in the different sections of the vaccination record with the number of doses listed in the vaccination schedule. If necessary, you can ask a health-care professional for help (pharmacist, 811, etc.).
If your child has not received the vaccinations recommended for their age, please refer to the "Where to get vaccinated" section.