You can be immunized at some
local community health centres, the
City Centre Urgent Primary Care Centre, and family doctors and walk-in clinics. Pharmacists can immunize adults and children over five years old. Please call ahead to ensure vaccine is available.
No, the measles vaccine is free for anyone.
We aren't seeing evidence that measles is circulating unnoticed in our community. That means that the risk to the general public remains low. Children should be immunized at 12 months, then again before they start kindergarten. Families planning international travel should visit a
travel clinic to seek advice as to whether early vaccination is warranted for travel to specific destinations.
If you have never been sick with measles, then you need two doses of vaccine to be protected. Most people born before 1970, had measles as a child and don't need to be immunized.
Check your home for your paper record of immunization. Try looking through baby books or other saved documents from your childhood.
Check with your parents or other caregivers to see if they have a record of your immunizations.
Check with your current and previous family doctors. Keep in mind that immunization records are kept at doctors' offices for a limited time.
Check with your local
community health centre (where you lived when you would have received immunizations) if you were immunized at your community health centre or in school.
Vaccines are like all other medical care. People under the age of 19, who are able to understand the benefits and possible reactions for each vaccine and the risk of not getting immunized, can legally consent to or refuse immunizations.
For more information on mature minor consent see
HealthLinkBC File #119 The Infants Act, Mature Minor Consent and Immunization.
No. The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) is a live vaccine and therefore it is not recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated for measles until after they give birth. However, to lower the risk of infection, it is recommended that everyone within the same household be up to date on vaccinations to protect you and your baby.
It takes about two weeks after the MMR vaccine for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against these viruses.
The protection from the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) is expected to last for a lifetime.