WECHU issues updated vaccine guidelines, more measles exposures reported

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit is alerting the public to another six possible measles exposure locations going back to last week.

This brings the total number of exposures in Windsor-Essex to 20 this year, most of which have been reported in the last couple of weeks, with two in February, and none in January.

Public health officials said the latest possible exposures happened last Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at both the TMC Urgent Care and IDA Pharmacy in Kingsville, and at the Central Erie Shore Walk-In Clinic in Leamington last Thursday between 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

There are two other spots in Leamington, at McDonald’s last Sunday between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. and the Mennonite Church between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Met Campus of Windsor Regional Hospital at the emergency department was also cited between 10 p.m. last Friday and just after 1:30 Saturday morning.

In the face of these escalating numbers the health unit has updated its vaccine guidelines in order to protect susceptible infants.

Healthcare providers are being advised to perform individual risk assessments, and patients between 6-12 months of age may be advised to get their first dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine early.

The decision will be based on level of risk, likelihood of travel into areas where measles may be circulating, or where there are other high risk scenarios like large gatherings.

This would be an additional dose to existing recommended vaccine series.

— with files from Paul McDonald/AM800 News