A Ladner mom says she’s frustrated with Fraser Health’s policy around early measles vaccination.
Kirsten Laufer has a six-year-old son Benjamin who is fully up to date on his vaccinations while her three-year-old son Josh has had his first MMR, but Laufer wants to get his second vaccination early.
“Josh who had his first MMR is currently in the ‘under vaccinated’ state until he can get his next round of immunizations,” she told the Optimist. “Although the Drug Monograph allows three-year-olds to get the MMR, Fraser Health has not changed their policy to allow a three-year-old to get it.”
She said she is in the process of working with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) as it will allow a three-year-old to get the MMR on request.
“I don't understand why Fraser Health isn't following suit with VCH,” Laufer said. “It shouldn't be this hard to get a MMR when there's an outbreak. I have spoken to other moms who spoke to their GP and they have not had a problem, but my GP does not do immunizations after three years old, so I have to turn to my health authority. Josh is four in November. I understand that he is 95 per cent effective with the first one, but I would still prefer the higher immunity. I work with newborns and I want to ensure that he is safe, and other children are safe.”
She feels that with the recent outbreak of measles, Fraser Health is ill prepared.
“When you have families who are saying, look, I have a three-year-old and understand that he is 95 per cent covered, but I would prefer to boost it up to the full immunity and Fraser Health has a policy that won’t let me do this, something is just not right,” she said.
Fraser Health spokesperson Tasleem Juma said all health authorities in B.C., including Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control, follow the provincial vaccination schedule that indicates children are routinely provided with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine with the first dose (MMR) given at 12 months and the second dose (MMRV) given at four to six years of age.
“There is agreement between all health authorities that there is no need to provide early vaccination of children aged six to 12 months. Nor does the second MMR dose, targeted for children four to six years, need to be given early,” Juma said in an emailed response to the Optimist.
“I can’t speak to why someone in Vancouver Coastal Health’s region would provide the vaccine outside the provincial guidelines.”
