Should provinces’ measles vaccine schedules be harmonized? Experts weigh in

Each province’s vaccine schedule has evolved based on the patterns and distribution of disease in a population, said Dr. Arlene King.

Moving from Ontario to New Brunswick didn’t just mean Jade Medeiros had to navigate a new province with two babies, she also had to figure out a new vaccination program.

When her family moved to Moncton in 2020, she learned her two and three-year-old were already behind on routine vaccinations because New Brunswick has a different schedule than Ontario.

“She had to get a whole bunch all at the same time, whereas in Ontario, it’s more spaced out,” said Medeiros, speaking about her younger daughter.

Each province and territory has its own vaccine schedule based on factors such as when a child would benefit from higher immunity from the shot, and what childhood vaccinations can be grouped together.

Amid a measles outbreak that’s led to nearly 5,000 cases across the country, some parents might notice the second shot to prevent the communicable disease is given at 18 months in some places, and between the ages of four and six in others.

The Canadian Paediatric Society has wanted to harmonize the vaccine schedule across the country since 1997, when it published a paper on the subject.

Its relevance has resurfaced as the country scrambles to strengthen public health messaging in the face of the measles outbreak, which threatens to end Canada’s elimination status in a matter of months.

Parents and health experts also worry that confusion around vaccine schedules and poor record keeping can contribute to lower vaccination rates, especially in light of a growing sentiment of vaccine skepticism in North America.