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Measles case believed to have started at St. Albert daycare: AHS – St. Albert Today

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Alberta Health Services has confirmed measles exposure in St. Albert and Edmonton is believed to have started with a child at a St. Albert daycare.

On Thursday, health officials sent a letter to parents and daycare staff at the Kids and Company St. Albert Grandin daycare warning that people at the daycare on Jan. 29 may have been exposed to measles.

“In the coming days, staff from Alberta Health Services Public Health will be in contact with all staff and all families from Kids and Company St. Albert Grandin to provide additional information and direction,” the letter reads.

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Dr. Grazia Salvo, medical health officer for the Edmonton zone, told the Gazette the case is travel-related.

“This was travel acquired, and when (the child) came back they had symptoms that were consistent with measles,” she said.

Salvo said she wasn’t able to comment on how many people may have been exposed at the daycare, but those who may have been affected will receive a phone call from health officials.

“We’ve been contacting them personally via phone numbers to let them know that they’ve been exposed, to let them know what symptoms they need to look out for, and if they qualify within the time period we are offering that preventative medication.”

She said she wasn’t able to confirm whether or not the child had received the measles vaccine.

Lorissa Zollinger, area manager for Kids and Company daycare, said they are working closely with AHS officials to monitor potential symptoms. 

“Everybody needs to follow the recommendations set out by AHS, follow their lead, and be mindful of any signs or symptoms,” Zollinger said. 

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that is easily spread through the air by sneezing and coughing, and by direct contact with someone who is infected.

Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, a cough, runny nose or red eyes, and a red rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts.

“Whenever physicians see children with these symptoms, that’s when it usually clicks that it might be measles,” Salvo said. “The symptoms are not specific to that disease because there are a lot of viral rashes that do go around, but with the travel history, that’s when they decide to test for measles.”

Salvo said this is the first case of measles this year in Alberta.

“We actually don’t see much transmission within Alberta, unless it happens in a community where they’re not vaccinating for a certain reason. Usually we’ll see cases like this where they’re travel-acquired, and more often than not these travel-acquired cases don’t spread very widely because we have such a high immunization rate in our population.”

The virus can survive two hours after the contagious person has left the space, AHS said. Symptoms can appear within five to 21 days of being exposed.

On Thursday, AHS released the following list of dates and locations where people may have been exposed to the infectious illness in St. Albert and Edmonton:

  • Jan 31: Real Canadian Superstore (101 St. Albert Trail) from 2 to 5 p.m.;
  • Jan 31: Chapters (445 St. Albert Trail) from 3:15 to 6 p.m.
  • Feb. 2: Mercato (120 Bellerose Drive) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Feb. 3: University of Alberta Hospital, main floor (8440 112 Street NW, Edmonton) from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
    • At the gift shop, information desk and immediate surrounding area; main cafeteria; north elevators across from the info desk and the surrounding area including public washrooms; east hospital entrance, 112 street and foyer area including escalators; main hallway from the 112 street entrance through to the Stollery and adult emergency rooms; main floor area around the McMullen Gallery
    • Stollery Children’s Hospital, emergency department, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Individuals who were exposed on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 in the locations and timeframes noted, and who have either no history of receiving any measles-containing vaccine, or who are pregnant, immune compromised or under one year of age, are advised to call Health Link at 811.

Those who were exposed on dates before Feb. 1 are no longer eligible for preventative vaccine, however, they are still encouraged to review their immunization history, and call Health Link at 811 for advice.

To test for a potential case, physicians give the patient a nasopharyngeal swab to collect samples from the back of the nose and upper throat. The samples are then sent to the lab for testing.

“That’s how this one was found, and that’s why we’re asking people who might’ve been exposed to look out for those symptoms,” Salvo said. At this point, she said no other people have been tested for measles.

If someone does become symptomatic, they are advised to self-isolate and call the Health Link hotline at 811.

Anyone who is going travelling should look at their vaccination history to ensure they’ve received the vaccine, and check health advisories online for different countries to see the level of potential measles exposure before travelling, Salvo said.

“Not all countries are as lucky as Canada to have such a strong immunization program,” Salvo said. “We know when you have two doses of the MMR vaccine, it’s nearly 100 per cent effective. Not all countries have those resources.”

Infants six months of age to less than 12 months of age are eligible to receive an early dose of the measles-containing vaccine. Children aged 13 months up to 4 years are allowed to receive their second dose of the vaccine prior to travel. Adults born in 1970 or later should also check to see if they have gotten two doses – getting just one can put the individual partially at risk.

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Spring allergies: Where is it worse in Canada? – CTV News

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The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories in Ottawa, expects the elevated amounts to continue next week for places, such as most of Ontario, if the temperature continues to rise. Aerobiology creates allergen forecasts based on data it collects from the air on various pollens and mould spores.

Pollens are fertilizing fine powder from certain plants such as trees, grass and weeds. They contain a protein that irritates allergy sufferers.

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Although pollen levels declined after a cold spell in some places, he said they are soaring again across parts of Canada.

“So the worst is definitely British Columbia right now, followed by Ontario and Quebec and then the Prairies and Atlantic Canada for the upcoming weeks,” said Coates in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. “We are seeing pollen pretty much everywhere, including the Maritimes.”

He said pollen has increased over the past 20 years largely due to longer periods of warm weather in Canada.

Meanwhile, the Maritimes is one of the best places to live in Canada if you have seasonal allergies, in part because of its rocky territory, Coates said.

With high levels of cedar and birch pollen, British Columbia is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada, he added.

“British Columbia is going strong,” Coates explained, noting the allergy season started “very early” in the province in late January. “It has been going strong since late January, early February and it’s progressing with high levels of pollen, mostly cedar, but birch as well, and birch is highly allergenic.”

Causes of high pollen levels

Coates expects a longer allergy season if the warm weather persists. He notes pollen is increasing in Canada and worldwide, adding that in some cases the allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer than 15 years ago.

He says tree pollen produced last year is now being released into the air because of warmer weather.

“Mother nature acts like a business,” he said. “So you have cyclical periods where things go up and down. … So when it cooled down a little bit, we saw (pollen) reduce in its levels, but now it’s going to start spiking.”

Along with warmer weather, another factor in higher pollen levels is people planting more male trees in urban areas because they don’t produce flowers and fruits and are less messy as a result, he said. But male trees produce pollen while female ones mostly do not.

Moulds

Coates said moulds aren’t as much of a problem.

“They’ve been mainly at lower levels so far this season,” he explained. “Moulds aren’t as bad in many areas of Canada, but they’re really, really bad in British Columbia.”

In B.C., moulds are worse because of its wet climate and many forested areas, he said.

Coping with allergies

Dr. Blossom Bitting, a naturopathic doctor and herbal medicine expert who works for St. Francis Herb Farm, says a healthy immune system is important to deal with seasonal allergies.

“More from a holistic point of view, we want to keep our immune system strong,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Shediac, N.B. “Some would argue allergies are an overactive immune system.”

Bitting said ways to balance and strengthen the immune system include managing stress levels and getting seven to nine hours of restful sleep. “There is some research that shows that higher amounts of emotional stress can also contribute to how much your allergies react to the pollen triggers,” Bitting said.

Eating well by eating more whole foods and less processed foods along with exercising are also important, she added. She recommends foods high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts and fish. Fermented foods with probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi and miso, rather than pasteurized ones, can keep the gut healthy, she added. Plant medicines or herbs such as astragalus, reishi mushrooms, stinging nettle and schisandra can help bodies adapt to stressors, help balance immune systems or stabilize allergic reactions, she said.

To cope with allergies, she recommends doing the following to reduce exposure to pollen:

  • Wear sunglasses to get less pollen into the eyes;
  • Wash outdoor clothes frequently, use outer layers for outside and remove them when you go inside the house;
  • Use air purifiers such as with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters;
  • Wash pets and children after they go outside;
  • Keep the window closed on days with high pollen counts.

Mariam Hanna, a pediatric allergist, clinical immunologist and associate professor with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., says immunotherapy can help patients retrain their bodies by working with an allergist so they become more tolerant to pollens and have fewer symptoms.

“Some patients will need medications like over-the-counter antihistamines or speaking with their doctor about the right types of medications to help with symptom control,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca.

Coates recommends people check pollen forecasts and decrease their exposure to pollen since no cure exists for allergies. “The best is knowing what’s in the air so that you can adjust your schedules, or whatever you’re doing, around the pollen levels.”

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Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

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Recent studies suggest staying up-to-date on COVID shots helps protect high-risk groups from severe illness

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease, said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Who needs another COVID shot?

Back in January, Canada’s national vaccine advisory body set the stage for another round of spring vaccinations. In a statement (new window), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) stated that starting in spring 2024, individuals at an increased risk of severe COVID may get an extra dose of the latest XBB.1.5-based vaccines, which better protect against circulating virus variants.

That means:

  • Adults aged 65 and up.
  • Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors.
  • Anyone six months of age or older who is moderately to severely immunocompromised.

The various spring recommendations don’t focus on pregnancy, despite research (new window) showing clear links between a COVID infection while pregnant, and increased health risks. However, federal guidance does note that getting vaccinated during pregnancy can protect against serious outcomes.

Vaccinated people can also pass antibodies to their baby through the placenta and through breastmilk, that guidance states (new window).

What do the provinces now recommend?

Multiple provinces have started rolling out their own regional guidance based on those early recommendations — with a focus on allowing similar high-risk groups to get another round of vaccinations.

B.C. is set to announce guidance on spring COVID vaccines in early April, officials told CBC News, and those recommendations are expected to align with NACI’s guidance.

In Manitoba (new window), high-risk individuals are already eligible for another dose, provided it’s been at least three months since their latest COVID vaccine.

Meanwhile Ontario’s latest guidance (new window), released on March 21, stresses that high-risk individuals may get an extra dose during a vaccine campaign set to run between April and June. Eligibility will involve waiting six months after someone’s last dose or COVID infection.

Having a spring dose is particularly important for individuals at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who did not receive a dose during the Fall 2023 program, the guidance notes.

And in Nova Scotia (new window), the spring campaign will run from March 25 to May 31, also allowing high-risk individuals to get another dose.

Specific eligibility criteria vary slightly from province-to-province, so Canadians should check with their primary care provider, pharmacist or local public health team for exact guidelines in each area.

WATCH: Age still best determines when to get next COVID vaccine dose, research suggests:

 

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Age still best determines when to get COVID vaccines, new research suggests

It’s been four years since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and new research suggests your age may determine how often you should get a booster shot.

Why do the guidelines focus so much on age?

The rationale behind the latest spring guidelines, Miller said, is that someone’s age remains one of the greatest risk factors associated with severe COVID outcomes, including hospitalization, intensive care admission and death.

So that risk starts to shoot up at about 50, but really takes off in individuals over the age of 75, he noted.

Canadian data (new window) suggests the overwhelming majority of COVID deaths have been among older adults, with nearly 60 per cent of deaths among those aged 80 or older, and roughly 20 per cent among those aged 70 to 79.

People with compromised immune systems or serious medical conditions are also more vulnerable, Miller added.

Will people always need regular COVID shots?

While the general population may not require shots as frequently as higher-risk groups, Miller said it’s unlikely there will be recommendations any time soon to have a COVID shot less than once a year, given ongoing uncertainty about COVID’s trajectory.

Going forward, I suspect for pragmatic reasons, [COVID vaccinations] will dovetail with seasonal flu vaccine campaigns, just because it makes the implementation much more straightforward, Miller said.

And although we haven’t seen really strong seasonal trends with SARS-CoV-2 now, I suspect we’ll get to a place where it’s more seasonal than it has been.

In the meantime, the guidance around COVID shots remains simple at its core: Whenever you’re eligible to get another dose — whether that’s once or twice a year — you might as well do it.

What does research say?

One analysis, published in early March in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases (new window), studied more than 27,000 U.S. patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID, between September and December 2023.

The team found individuals who had an updated vaccine reduced their risk of severe illness by close to a third — and the difference was more noticeable in older and immunocompromised individuals.

Another American research team from Stanford University recently shared the results from a modelling simulation looking at the ideal frequency for COVID vaccines.

The study in Nature Communications (new window) suggests that for individuals aged 75 and up, having an annual COVID shot could reduce severe infections from an estimated 1,400 cases per 100,000 people to around 1,200 cases — while bumping to twice a year could cut those cases even further, down to 1,000.

For younger, healthier populations, however, the benefit of regular shots against severe illness was more modest.

The outcome wasn’t a surprise to Stanford researcher Dr. Nathan Lo, an infectious diseases specialist, since old age has consistently been a risk factor for severe COVID.

It’s almost the same pattern that’s been present the entire pandemic, he said. And I think that’s quite striking.

More frequent vaccination won’t prevent all serious infections, he added, or perhaps even a majority of those infections, which highlights the need for ongoing mitigation efforts.

Lauren Pelley (new window) · CBC News

 

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Students face up to 20-day suspension over vaccines – Waterloo Region Record

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Only one principal reported an altercation with a parent on the second day of suspensions over immunization records on Thursday. 

Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, suspensions can last up to 20 days. 

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