B.C. premier gets 2nd AstraZeneca dose, says best choice is 'first vaccine you're offered'
The premier of British Columbia received a second dose of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, following updated national immunization recommendations that have left some Canadians scratching their heads.
John Horgan shared a picture of his blurred out vaccination card on social media, writing that "the best vaccine is the first vaccine you're offered."
The premier received his first shot of AstraZeneca in the middle of April, as health officials were in the process of reviewing the vaccine's link to very rare blood clots, and offered a similar message encouraging people to join B.C.'s immunization effort at the earliest opportunity.
"The advice I’ve been given today is that you should take the first vaccine that’s offered to you because it's in the interest of not just yourself, but your neighbours, your family, and your community," Horgan said at the time.
On Thursday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization presented updated guidance for Canadians, recommending that those who received AstraZeneca for their first dose get one of the mRNA vaccines for their second.
NACI cited growing evidence that a mix-and-match approach for AstraZeneca recipients provides a stronger antibody response.
The announcement caused some confusion among vaccine recipients, including those who had recently received their second dose of AstraZeneca, though officials stressed that the vaccine remains safe and effective.
Still, some B.C. pharmacies that are currently administering second doses of AstraZeneca vaccine said they have received a wave of cancellations since the announcement.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the updated recommendation was not unexpected, given the preliminary data emerging in other parts of the world, but that B.C. was not changing its approach to the vaccine.
"It's important to remember that this is new information, that we are continuing to learn as we use more of these vaccines around the world and as more studies are done," Henry said.
"Mixing an mRNA after a dose of AstraZeneca may give some boost to the immune system, but we don't know whether that translates into whether you're better protected or not. We don't know that definitively, and we may not know that for some time."
NACI also cited the rare risk of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic, or VITT, associated with AstraZeneca. As of May 31, only three people in B.C. had developed VITT after receiving the vaccine, and none of the incidents were fatal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.