Measles

Vaccine information is found on your yellow immunization card.

Everyone over age 4 should have two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Everyone who is between 1 and 4 years old should have had one dose of MMR vaccination. For more information about vaccine schedules, see the Hamilton public health website.

Keep your immunization card in your wallet, or a photo of it on your phone, for easy access. You can also log in to the Ontario Public health/ Hamilton public health website vaccination online tool to review your vaccine record or speak to your primary care provider’s office.

People born before 1970 are considered to have natural immunity.

An unvaccinated person that has been around someone who has measles or has been in the same place as someone who had measles has had a “measles exposure.”

This exposure can result in measles infection after one to three weeks.

If you have been exposed:

1. Call Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-546-2489 or your own local public health unit as soon as possible to speak with a public health nurse about risks and next steps.
2. Avoid high-risk settings (e.g. hospitals, long term care homes) and watch for signs and symptoms of measles for 21 days after the date you think you were around someone with measles.

Watch for signs and symptoms of measles until 21 days after exposure.

You can continue to attend work, school or daycare.

Measles symptoms start 7 to 14 days after you are exposed to the virus.

The main signs include:

• Runny nose
• Cough
• Feeling tired or irritable
• Red, watery eyes
• Small white spots inside the mouth and throat
• Blotchy rash that spreads over the body (colour varies depending on skin tone)

If you are identified as a measles contact, your public health unit will do one or all of the following:

• Call to tell you that you are a contact.
• Send a letter to your home if you are unreachable.
• Alert the community via the media (TV, radio, newspapers) if the exposure may have happened in a public space such as a shopping mall hospital or a restaurant.

• Ensure the person with measles infection gets rest, fluids and offer medicine to help with fever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen).
• The person with measles should stay home. Do not go to school, daycare or work for at least four days after your rash started. You can leave the house on five day after the rash started.
• Do not share drinking glasses or forks and spoons with others.
• Wear a mask if you can.
• For specific questions about symptom management or medical care, talk/call to your doctor or nurse practitioner.
• For those in the household that have measles exposure, speak to your health care provider to see if vaccination or preventative medication is appropriate.

Anyone waiting for their measles test results should stay at home until Public Health calls with the results.

Public Health will call you with your results and will help you decide how long you need to stay away from other people. They will also give advice for people you live with and others that have been around you.

Family doctor/nurse practitioner:

Call your doctor’s office before you visit.

If you go to the Emergency Department, inform the registration desk immediately if you have had an exposure to measles, have tested positive for measles or if you have travelled outside of Canada and have symptoms (listed above).

Before you come to the hospital:

If you are coming to the hospital and you think your child has measles, symptoms of measles or has been around another person with measles, you must contact us first.

Clinic appointment: call your clinic before coming for the appointment.

You and/or your child may need to be tested for measles.  We will also prepare a space for your appointment.

Arriving by ambulance: tell the paramedics.

If you come to the Emergency Department on your own, a vaccinated adult should enter the hospital ALONE to tell the registration staff that someone who may have measles is coming in.

Or, call us before you come.  We will meet you outside the doors and bring you to a room.
Call 905-521-5020 and tell them that you or your child might have measles.

Learn more about coming to the hospital if you or your child have been exposed to Measles.

If you are coming by ambulance, tell the paramedics if you think you or your child might have measles or have been around someone who has measles.

If you come to the Emergency Department (ED) on your own, an adult who is vaccinated or is immune, should come into the hospital ALONE to tell the staff that someone who may have measles in coming in.

Do not bring the measles patient inside until the ED is informed and ready to receive them.

If you are exposed to measles and you are pregnant, you should check your vaccine records or speak to your health care provider to verify you are measles immune.

Adults born after 1970 require 2 doses of measles vaccine for lifelong immunity.

If you are pregnant with measles exposure and you have not been vaccinated and have not previously had measles infection speak to your health-care provider as you may be able to get a preventative IV treatment to protect you and your fetus from measles infection.

More information about measles and the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is available on the Hamilton Public Health website.

People who are “immune” to measles means that their body can fight the virus effectively and they will not become sick if exposed to measles.

There are only two ways to become immune: either after vaccination or after infection.

People who have screened positive for measles are encouraged to follow up with their family physician and/or contact their local public health unit. (You may need to leave a voicemail.)

Hamilton: 365-323-8170
Brant: 519-753-4937
Niagara: 905-682-8248
Waterloo: 519-575-4400
Haldimand-Norfolk: 519-426-6170
Halton: 905-825-6000
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 1-800-265-7293