Canada is facing a shortage of measles vaccines amid a rise in cases across the country and around the world, and an increase in demand.Canada is facing a shortage of measles vaccines amid a rise in cases across the country and around the world, and an increase in demand.
The private market for measles vaccines "makes up an extremely small portion of the overall demand," the Health Canada email to CBC News read. It can take up to 21 days after exposure to the virus for symptoms to appear, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, and people who are infected can spread the virus to others before they develop symptoms.
"There is, to my knowledge, no pandemic at the moment, so I would … just kind of, you know, make sure they're aware of the symptoms of measles … So that if they end up having those symptoms and they return that they they see their doctor right away," he said. "If they're not eligible for a public vaccine, we encourage them to try other pharmacies or even like a travel clinic. There's a few travel clinics around, they might be able to try one of those, who may have had stock, you know, already that they could use," he said.
As part of the routine schedule in New Brunswick, adults born in 1970 or later who have not previously received two doses of MMR are eligible to receive two doses of MMR or MMRV vaccine or receive one dose if they have had one previous dose in childhood.Working to address shortage