Important notice for students at Sault College and Algoma U

NEWS RELEASE

ALGOMA PUBLIC HEALTH

************************* Catch-up vaccinations offered to young adults at risk for contagious mumps

Young adults who may be at risk of developing mumps, are being offered a chance to be protected in a catch-up program organized by Algoma Public Health.

College and university students are particularly at risk because they may not have received a second dose of mumps vaccine required for full protection and they live and socialize in close proximity.

The Ontario government and the province’s public health units are encouraging young adults to receive their measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The move comes in response to mumps outbreaks in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Alberta and British Columbia.

Most people born between 1970 and 1991 received only a single dose of the combined MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and are at risk for mumps.

People born in 1992 or after should have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.

People born before 1970 are assumed to be immune to mumps through natural infection.

To be fully protected from contracting mumps, two doses of the MMR vaccine are required.

Algoma Public Health will be offering the MMR vaccine to all current post-secondary students at campus clinics. The vaccination is also available through family doctors for anyone who needs a second dose of MMR.

Young adults born between 1970 and 1991 are encouraged to review their personal immunization record to determine if they need a second dose of the vaccine.

If individuals cannot locate their immunization record, it is recommended that they take advantage of the catch-up program and receive one dose.

Public health will be offering mumps clinics at Algoma University on January 21st and at Sault College on January 28th. Both clinics run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Quick facts

- Mumps is a contagious disease that is spread from person-to-person through direct contact with respiratory droplets from the mouth or nose of an infected person. This can happen when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Mumps can also be spread through sharing drinks and kissing.

- Mumps is preventable by immunization. Symptoms, which usually last ten days, include fever, headache, muscle aches and pains, tiredness, loss of appetite; followed by painful swelling of one or both salivary glands. Mumps can also have serious complications.

- Mumps is an acute viral illness and therefore cannot be treated with antibiotics. If infected with mumps, it means spending on average nine days in isolation to make sure it is not spread to others.

- The combined vaccine that protects against mumps is called MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. It is safe and effective in protecting against all three diseases.

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