No more Ontarians will get the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first COVID-19 shot while the province makes sure it’s safe.
The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said Tuesday they are erring on the side of caution after reports of serious blood clots caused by the shot.
Williams explained they condition is called Vaccine Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia, or VITT.
Dr. Dirk Huyer, coordinator of the provincial outbreak response, says they’re putting the brakes on AstraZeneca because that condition could be life-threatening for some.
“Lots of people get the side effect of a sore arm, some fever and other things that occur with it, this is a serious side effect that could lead to serious health implications and potentially to people passing,” he said.
However, Dr. Williams noted people who got the AstraZeneca shot already made the right decision, because any vaccine is better than going without.
The officer added the province is working with its federal partners to decide what that group will receive for their second shot.
Dr. Williams pointed out that if you didn’t have a serious reaction to the first shot, you likely would be fine to get your second dose, but they need to confirm that for sure.
