Keep babies, high risk Albertans away from Stampede due to measles, doctors caution

As the Calgary Stampede kicks off, health experts are warning about the risk of measles exposure and are urging parents with babies and unimmunized children — along with other vulnerable Albertans — to sit this one out.

The Stampede attracts travellers from all over Alberta and around the world. This year organizers expect more than 1.3 million people will attend.

This annual event comes at a time when the province is battling its worst measles outbreaks in nearly half a century. As of noon Thursday, 1,179 cases had been reported since the outbreaks began in March.

"That's a lot of people over 10 days in a concentrated area and that's where the risk factor is," said Dr. Sam Wong, president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association.

"If I had an infant child I would be avoiding Stampede and any large gathering like that because I would want to protect my child as much as possible."

Measles can lead to a number of severe complications including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death.

Young children, pregnant people and people who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of severe complications.

And until babies are old enough to be vaccinated, they're extremely vulnerable.

"I grew up in Calgary. I'm a big fan of the Stampede," said Wong. "But there are risks associated with it this year."

A premature baby who was born infected with measles recently died in Ontario. A young child in that province also died due to measles last year.

Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends babies get their first measles vaccine dose at 12 months old and their second shot at 18 months.

Due to the outbreaks the province is offering an early and extra dose to babies as young as six months old living in the south, central and north zones.

The University of Calgary's Craig Jenne is also worried about adults and children who are unvaccinated or have just one dose. The vast majority of Alberta's measles cases have been among the unimmunized.

"We do know, simply statistically, that measles will be present on the Stampede grounds," said Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the university.