B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Even people who had severe allergic reactions to their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine can still safely get a second dose, according to Canada's vaccine advisory committee.
There have been 419 reports of anaphylactic reactions to mRNA vaccines in Canada as of Oct. 15, according to the latest data released by Health Canada, out of the roughly 58 million doses administered.
Anaphylaxis can cause people to go into shock, making it difficult to breathe.
For those who had a severe reaction to an mRNA vaccine, studies show the reaction often is not repeated with the second dose, however.
The second doses are well tolerated with either no reactions or just mild ones, NACI said.
“The bottom line is that we hope this is good news for people who've been worried about allergic reactions,” chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said at a media briefing Friday.
The Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial and territorial governments are keeping a careful eye on the rate of medical exemptions issued for people who can't get a COVID-19 vaccine in Canada.
“They're taking a close look at that, to make sure only really valid medical exemptions are issued for any type of adverse reaction for vaccines,” said deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo.
But the new recommendations don't necessarily mean people with allergic reactions can't get an exemption for places where vaccines are mandatory, Tam said.
“Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction to a component, is considered a severe side effect that could qualify potentially for medical exemption,” she said.
NACI encourages people who had an allergic reaction to a mRNA vaccine - those produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna - to see an allergist before seeking the next dose.
People should also be observed for a longer period after their second dose to make sure the allergic reaction is not repeated. NACI suggests a half-hour waiting period as opposed to the usual 15 minutes.
The committee also released new advice about waiting longer for a second dose, suggesting that a longer gap between shots is more effective.
NACI now suggests waiting eight weeks between mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and at least eight weeks between shots of AstraZeneca.
When figuring out dose intervals, the local transmission of the virus and the level of risk of contracting the virus also need to be considered, according to NACI's new advice. If transmission is high, an earlier second dose should be considered to offer immediate protection.
The advice also doesn't mean people who have had both shots with a shorter gap in between need to restart with another series of vaccines.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2021.
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.