NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is now recommending that people who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine receive a second dose of an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
NACI’s latest advice takes into consideration the most recent evidence on the rare instances of blood clots associated with the AstraZeneca shot and the increase of mRNA vaccine supply arriving on Canadian soil.
It also says it reviewed emerging evidence “suggesting better immune responses” when an individual receives a first dose of AstraZeneca and a second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
“There are just increasing numbers of studies, mostly from Germany, that we’ve accumulated in between that last set of recommendations and today’s recommendations and all of them essentially point towards the fact that it is safe to provide a mixed-dose schedule,” Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam told reporters on Thursday.
“We will continue to monitor this in a real life basis as vaccines are rolling out.”
For those who receive a first jab of an mRNA vaccine, it’s advised they seek the same product or use another mRNA vaccine.
The advisory panel made the specification, however, that those who have already received two doses of AstraZeneca “can rest assured that the vaccine provides good protection against infection and very good protection against severe disease and hospitalization.”
As of June 5, 2.1 million Canadians have received one shot of AstraZeneca and 15,186 people have received two doses. Of the 7,408 reports of adverse side effects following immunization since June 11 from any authorized vaccine, 1,565 are considered “serious,” such as causing a severe allergenic reaction or vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia.
The head of Canada’s vaccine rollout campaign, Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie, said there are still approximately 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca unused in Canada and it will be up to the provinces and territories to determine how best to use them.
“We continue to expect that the use of those vaccines will continue to evolve over the coming days,” Brodie said.
Dr. Tam acknowledged the frustration of Canadians who may feel misled by the body, but reiterated the challenges of working through a fluid health crisis that’s consistently changing.
“I totally recognize that this is difficult for many, but what I would say is that those who have received two doses of AstraZenca, COVISHIELD vaccine, you’ve been provided with good protection against infection,” she said.
According to records compiled by Our World in Data, 177 countries and territories have used AstraZeneca, compared with 104 for Pfizer and 54 for Moderna.
Montreal-based epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos told CTV News Channel following the announcement there have “clearly been some missteps” in communication with regards to the use of AstraZeneca.
“The point is to give everybody two doses and when you can acknowledge that the second dose need not necessarily be the same as the first, that gives you a lot more flexibility and makes you a lot more immune to the variability of vaccine supply, so if they phrased it that way, I think it would have been a lot more reassuring to people,” he said.
The government is still aiming to receive 55 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of July and commits to being able to provide full vaccination to every Canadian that seeks it by the end of September.
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.