Quelling the spread of measles involves immunization campaigns and public health protocols, but Tina Meggison says it also requires sitting down and having an open and honest conversation.

That’s what she’s working to do within the Low German-speaking Mennonite community in Alberta.

Meggison has more than a decade of professional — and a lifetime of personal — experience under her belt.

Her team of community health representatives with Primary Care Alberta has seen a 25 per cent increase in demand for their services, which include accompanying patients to doctor’s appointments and interpreting and answering questions in Low German, since the onset of an outbreak in March.

That’s about 350 calls per month on average, compared to 285 before the contagious disease spread to 1,656 people

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