In Elgin County, worry about a measles resurgence and a 60-year-old cautionary tale

Jackie McCoubrey vividly recalls the days she and her sister spent in a dark room, battling a fever during a bout of measles. As a child in rural Elgin County in the 1960s, she and her sister were confined to a room with blackout curtains, with a pail serving as their makeshift bathroom. The fear and uncertainty during that time left a lasting impact on McCoubrey, now 64 years old.

The experience of being isolated in a dark room was a common practice back then, as it was believed that exposure to light could lead to blindness in measles patients. As a result, McCoubrey and her sister spent days on end in that dark room, with only the daily visits from the doctor offering a glimmer of hope. The girls’ mother, overwhelmed with worry, described the ordeal as “absolutely horrifying.”

Fast forward 60 years, and McCoubrey finds herself once again facing the specter of measles, this time in her own community. The recent outbreak in the region covered by Southwestern Public Health, including Aylmer, St. Thomas, and Tillsonburg, has been alarming. With 115 reported cases of measles since October, including 10 hospitalizations, the majority of the infected individuals are children who were not vaccinated.

The resurgence of measles, a disease that was declared eradicated in Canada in 1998, has been attributed to declining vaccination rates. In just the first two months of this year, 95 people have been infected, compared to 147 cases for the entire year of 2024. Public health officials have been urging residents to get vaccinated and have been issuing warnings about possible exposure sites, such as walk-in clinics and hospitals.

The impact of the measles outbreak is being felt across various sectors in the community. Schools like Immanuel Christian School in Aylmer and Milestones Children’s Centre in St. Thomas are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of their students and staff. Parents and staff are engaging in discussions about vaccination protocols and ways to prevent exposure to the virus.

Even religious institutions like the Church of God in Aylmer have taken steps to prevent the spread of measles, with the closure of their school as a precautionary measure. Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, however, could not be reached for further comment on the matter.

For McCoubrey, who vividly remembers the suffering caused by measles, getting vaccinated was a non-negotiable decision. She recently received a booster shot and emphasizes the importance of vaccination in protecting vulnerable individuals who may not be able to get vaccinated due to medical reasons. As she reflects on her own experience with measles and the current outbreak in her community, McCoubrey urges others to prioritize vaccination to prevent further spread of the disease.