Ottawa parents concerned about vaccination wait times during measles outbreak

With measles cases continuing to rise across the province, demand for the vaccine is high in Ottawa. CTV’s Josh Marano reports.

While Ottawa only has two confirmed measles cases, the number in the province has risen to 1,243 cases since October.

Parents in the City of Ottawa are raising concerns, especially when it comes to booking measles vaccination appointments.

Hanna Raffoul says she got her three boys, Axel, Atlas, and Aries, vaccinated against measles as soon as possible, but recounts her struggles of getting them on time.

“Even though we do have a family doctor, it took us a couple of weeks before just because there was no availability,” Raffoul says. “The process is, unfortunately, very hard to get.”

• Ontario reports almost 200 new measles cases as virus spreads across Canada

Raffoul said it took her weeks, even months before she got in for her appointments, but as she enjoys the Ottawa Children’s Festival at Lansdowne, she has concerns about other children who may not have been as fortunate as hers.

“It kind of puts you in a situation where you don’t know, should you stay home? Should you go out and enjoy the summer,” Raffoul says. “It’s a festival that’s outside, so the chances are maybe less but you still have that concern in the back of your mind as a mom.”

There has been a shortage of family doctors in the province for a number of years, adding to the struggle for some families of getting their vaccines on time.

Dr. Alykhan Abdulla is a family doctor based in Manotick. Dr. Abdulla says the healthcare sector is overwhelmed because of this, and there are not enough resources to keep up with the demand.

“Vaccines are limited resources; there’s only so many in this city,” Abdulla says. “All last year, there was about 3,900 vaccines. In the first three months, this year, there’s already been 1,500 doses given, that means it’s 50 per cent more. I imagine it’s going to be more than 200 to 300 per cent more in demand.”

“Family medicine and public health are always being asked to do the impossible with the resources that they have; there’s a lot of burnout, there’s a lot of overwhelming sense of abuse,” Abdulla adds.

This comes days after Premier Doug Ford says his government has made 150,000 units of vaccine available through public health units and has spent $2 million on ads encouraging people to get the vaccine.

Erk Eckbo, an infection control physician with the Ottawa Hospital, said there is enough supply of the vaccine and even if you’re unsure of your vaccine status, you should still get it.

“I think we have plenty of vaccine to go around. I certainly don’t have any concerns about the number of vaccines we have available to deliver to the population,” Eckbo says. “The general message is that if you’re unsure about your vaccine status, we generally will offer the vaccine.”

“The easiest and safest thing to do is just get the vaccine. And that’s pretty much the public health message across the country,” Eckbo adds.

He also says if anyone has any questions about their immune status or for their children, he encourages them to reach out to their health care providers and seek guidance.

“I think people forget that measles is a very serious disease and that it can have very serious consequences,” Eckbo said. “It’s disheartening to see that the disease that is vaccine preventable is so prevalent in the province right now and what I really would like people to know is that the vaccine is very safe, it’s very effective, and it has long-lasting protection.”