Dr. Barry Pakes

Dr. Barry Pakes, a public health physician and Program Director at the University of Toronto, discusses Canada's recent loss of measles elimination status after nearly 30 years. He explains how vaccination accessibility issues, misinformation, and declining trust contributed to the outbreak of over 5,100 cases. Dr. Pakes emphasizes the importance of a national electronic vaccine registry and targeted strategies to improve coverage. He remains cautiously optimistic about regaining elimination status but acknowledges the challenges of achieving >95% vaccination rates.