Canada loses measles-free status as cases surge past 5,000

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00:00Canada just lost its measles-free status. The country had over 5,000 measles cases in the past

00:06year. That's a big jump, and now the Pan American Health Organization says Canada no longer qualifies

00:11as measles-free. Why is this happening? Well, not enough people are getting vaccinated. To keep

00:16measles from spreading, about 95% of the population needs to be protected. In Alberta, experts say up

00:22to half a million people might not be. That makes it a lot easier for the virus to spread. What's

00:27being done? Well, provinces are stepping up with more vaccine clinics, longer hours, and outreach

00:33to communities. Alberta alone has given out over 130,000 doses since March. But some experts say

00:39Canada's vaccine tracking system needs an upgrade, and public health messaging should be stronger.

00:44So how did it get here? Well, Canada got rid of regular measles back in 1998. By 2016, the whole

00:50America's region was considered measles-free. But that label only sticks if the virus isn't spreading

00:56all year. Now that it is, Canada lost its status. Now, measles spreads super fast, but it is

01:02preventable. The vaccine is generally believed to work, but only if enough people get it. And

01:07with growing vaccine scrutiny from the pandemic, trust is mixed. The current situation shows just

01:12how important trust in health systems is, and how fast things can change when that trust breaks

01:16down. But we want to know what you think. Are you worried about measles? Let us know in the

01:21comments and follow us here for more.