Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Babies: 3 - 6 Months
New Discussion

measles outbreak in southern Alberta,Canada

taraleannetaraleanne member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
This post is not intended to draw controversy about vaccinating your children so please refrain from those comments, thanks :) 

My concern is that I am going to Alberta via airplane- tomorrow!!  Edmonton. I think this is considered central Alberta and the outbreak is in southern Alberta. My son is just shy of 5 months and in my province we don't vaccinate for measles until 12 months. A Global News article suggests that babies under 6months would still have protective antibodies from their mother at birth (which apparently usually disappear by 6 months or so...) 

Everyone we'd be in contact with would have been vaccinated and is close family so I'm not really concerned about this. But it's the airplane ride that scares me. This kind of disease is airborne spread. Am I overthinking this? My common sense tells me that the just stepping on the plane all together makes anyone at risk to all sorts of airborne viruses and that the measles one is no more at risk today than it was yesterday but I can't help but be a littler worried.  My family has already been in touch with people in the health service who assure us that the outbreak is contained but naturally I still can't help but worry about stuff like this because this is the kind of thing that spreads very quickly.   

How can I put my mind at ease ?
image

Report Reply to Post

Re: measles outbreak in southern Alberta,Canada

  • jlpevjlpev member
    Have you been in contact with your pedi? Maybe they can have some suggestions.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • MaelaraMaelara member
    edited November 2013
    Ok, I don't want to sound... Bad but I live in southern Alberta (last I checked there were 13 confirmed cases) and the outbreak is mainly being spread through our Mennonite/Dutch population. It starts with a little boy that got it from the Netherlands.

    Edmonton is about 5 hours away from Calgary and the measles are even farther south. Very close to the Montana border. You'll be fine. You're 7 hours away from the measles.
    Eta - I forgot about the plane. I don't know what to do about that. Don't let anyone touch you're baby.
    Report Reply
  • taraleannetaraleanne member
    @maelara, yup, you are right. It's contained and yes I found out they even pinpointed it to one boy.  

    I think I was getting excited over nothing. But I'm a FTM and obviously don't want to run any chances. I talked to several health professionals today who all agree the risk of contracting measles on the airplane is no greater today than it was yesterday. Just stepping on an airplane in general puts everyone at risk for some sort of illness. But we can't live in a bubble. 

     Also, babies (at least where I live) don't get the MMR vaccine until 12 months because they are protected by mom's antibodies until about that time, apparently. That is why we wait to vaccinate I guess. 

    Thanks ladies for your replies.
    image

    Report Reply
  • MaelaraMaelara member
    @taraleanne - I totally get the FTM thing. Imagine being in the area affected! N is only 4.5 months old so she can't even get the 6 month vax they are offering. She got a cold last week and I totally freaked out and was convinced she had the measles. I was so embarrassed after!
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"