Host: Leah Gerber
While no cases have been reported in Waterloo Region yet, a measles outbreak that started in October continues in Ontario. So far, over 200 cases have been reported in the province, double the number reported between 2013 and 2023 combined. This comes at the same time Waterloo Region Public Health staff released a notice stating that nearly 9,000 children in the region need to get their vaccination records up to date or face suspension in early April.
Radio Waterloo spoke with David Aoki, the director of infectious disease and chief nursing officer for Region of Waterloo public health as well as Zahid Butt, assistant professor in the school of public health sciences at the university of waterloo and canada research chair in interdisciplinary research for pandemic preparedness to learn more about measles, and why people might be hesitant to vaccinate their children.