As the spread of measles shows no sign of slowing in Alberta, some health experts are calling for stronger public health messaging and are questioning why the province’s top doctor isn’t front and centre. Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Mark Joffe, has been largely absent from the public eye since the province’s outbreaks — spanning all five health zones — began. Three more cases were reported on Friday, pushing Alberta’s measles case count to 27 since the surge started. While the government is updating its measles webpage with confirmed cases on weekdays, and Alberta Health Services continues to issue exposure location alerts, there have been no press conferences regarding the spread of the highly contagious and potentially deadly illness.

“I would love to see the chief medical health officer actually come out and speak,” said Dr. Sam Wong, president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. “I think there is a post-pandemic fear — or maybe I wouldn’t say muzzling — but there’s a certain fear of speaking out without permission of the government. I just wonder if that’s part of the reason why.” Wong is worried measles will continue to spread and could hit populations with extremely low vaccination rates. And he’s calling for more definitive messaging on the disease itself and the importance of immunization. “It seems like they have to be prodded to say something about it.”

“If you’ve been hired and told you’re not going to be talking publicly, then I guess you’re doing your job. But that’s not the role of a medical officer of health,” said Dr. Louis Francescutti, an ER physician and professor in the school of public health at the University of Alberta.