Metro Vancouver's Gold’s Gyms now require parents to vaccinate kids who use its daycare

Although it says it has “no reason to believe” that any of its facilities have been affected by the recent measles outbreak, a gym franchise in the Lower Mainland isn’t taking any chances.

See also

• Two new measles cases passed through Vancouver airport
• 10 measles cases now confirmed in Metro Vancouver
• Health authority confirms new measles case, further exposure across Metro Vancouver

With various locations throughout the region, Gold’s Gym offers what it calls its Kid’s Club, where kids are looked after in a daycare-type setting while parents take the time to work out.

And over the weekend, the company said it taking a number of precautions to keep the Kid’s Club in all its locations free of any potential outbreaks.

“As leaders in the health and wellness industry it is our obligation to ensure all steps are taken to provide our membership with a first-class service,” the company wrote on Facebook.

As such, the company said it all Kid’s Club locations are closed today (February 25) and tomorrow, during which time each facility will be thoroughly disinfected by staff.

In addition, Gold’s Gym noted that all Kid’s Club staff have updated immunizations and or Boosters through the BC Public Health Care.

The franchise has also announced that beginning this Wednesday, all gym members planning to use the Kid’s Club facility must bring a copy of their child’s immunization record to be added to their file on site.

“Infants that are too young to receive their immunizations will not be able to utilize our Kid’s Club service at this time,”  the company added.

More cases over the weekend

Over the weekend, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) reported two new cases of measles, in addition to the 10 cases that were confirmed last Friday.

The health authority announced that in both incidents, the people acquired their infection while travelling out of the country. Both cases are unrelated to the outbreak involving Vancouver schools.

One of the individuals was travelling through Richmond and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) en route to Edmonton. The other lives in the VCH region and was on a flight from Manila, Philippines to Vancouver.

Symptoms of measles:

Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes (often sensitive to light), typically starting seven to 14 days after exposure.

These are followed three to seven days later by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, and spreads to the chest, arms and legs, and lasts at least three days. You may also notice spots inside your mouth that look like small grains of sand on a red base.

• Check your immunization records to make sure you and your children have had two doses of the measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV). Your immunization record or your doctor can provide you with this information. Adults 18 years of age and older, born in or after 1970 require two doses of measles vaccine; children 12 months to less than 18 years of age, health care workers and adults attending post-secondary institutions are required to have two doses; those born before 1970 are generally considered immune.
• If your immunization record is not up-to-date, contact your local public health unit.
• Infants under one year of age, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems can get very ill with measles and should contact their health care professional immediately for further assessment.
• Watch for symptoms of measles until 21 days after exposure. These include a high fever, cold-like symptoms (cough/runny nose); sore eyes or sensitivity to light; small spots with a white centre on the inside of the mouth; and a red rash lasting four to seven days.