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With the latest outbreaks of measles plaguing Vancouver, Washington State, and the Philippines, it’s time for the provincial government to get serious about protecting Albertans — especially our children — and make vaccines mandatory for children attending publicly funded schools.

There have been no measles cases reported in the province so far in 2019, but this highly contagious disease is only a plane ride or road trip away from landing in Alberta.

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It’s not overstating it to call measles one of the most serious threats to public health. Virus-laden droplets sneezed or coughed out by a sick person can linger suspended for hours in the air of a doctor’s waiting room, school classroom, shopping mall or airport terminal. Nearly every unprotected person exposed to the virus will get infected.

Characterized by symptoms such as a fever, painful rash, coughing, sneezing and red eyes, measles can lead to complications such as ear infections, blindness, pneumonia and swelling of the brain. It can kill.