Vaccine skepticism a growing concern, virologist warns amid rising measles caseload – CBC

Current mistrust about vaccines builds on ideas that took root in the 1980s, historian says

May 18, 2025

Misinformation is making it hard for Canada to reach the vaccination levels needed to prevent the spread of measles, experts say as the country deals with the largest outbreak of the disease in almost three decades.

Nationally, the country is dealing with the largest outbreak since the highly infectious disease was eradicated in 1998. Canada has recorded 1,593 confirmed and 253 probable cases this year, according to the federal government’s latest monitoring report Friday — the vast majority of which are in Ontario.

Dr. Peter Hotez, an American virologist who was co-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work developing a low-cost, patent-free COVID-19 vaccine, said the current wave of measles cases in North America highlights the importance of educating the public about vaccine safety.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/vaccine-skepticism-misinformation-measles-outbreak-1.7532489