Dr. Lenora Saxinger an infectious disease specialist was interviewed by the CBC producers of a CBC podcast and she confirmed that in Alberta they found the measles was concentrated in the southern part of the province which had a large member of Mennonites too. By now that should surprise no one. The disease does not spread as fast in other areas because there are higher vaccination rates there. Clearly, the higher the rates of vaccination the better the people are being defended by vaccines.  It would be nice if all Mennonites, and others too,  understood that simple fact. She did not point the finger specifically at Mennonites. She pointed the finger at areas with close-knit groups of people who shared views about things like the untrustworthiness of vaccinations.

This has happened in more than 1 religious and cultural group. Other groups that had such problems thought the same way as Mennonites. She suggested it was important to get a “local religious influencer on board.” It is difficult though because there are a lot of “self-reinforcing beliefs” in some groups.

Matt Galloway of CBC reminded us that this was a serious disease and it affected children in 75% of the Alberta cases. Dr. Saxinger confirmed that even though a lot of people survived measles  in the 50s and 60s (including me) it can have serious long-term effects. It is a disease we should treat seriously. Even though about 1 in a thousand died from it, a much higher percentage of about 10 to 20% had ear infections, pneumonia which are not necessarily trivial diseases. She added that even for adults there is a “not insignificant rate of hospitalization from it. It isa serious whole body viral ailment that can affect every organ system and “its miserable at the best and deadly at the worst.”

Dr. Saxinger also warned us when todays doctor’s starting practicing there were as few as 10 case of measles per year. That has changed to 1,500 per year, or even more. And this years’ rate of measles is 10 times higher than last year! Unfortunately, she said, “covid accelerated anti-vaccine sentiment and elevated conspiracy thinking. It reduced trust.”

Of course this distrust has been amplified by issues surrounding Measles vaccines. It is not just Mennonites that distrust government and health officials. Distrust by now is widespread. And we are all paying a price for that distrust. I wish it weren’t so.