Unvaccinated health-care workers to get priority for Johnson & Johnson vaccines arriving in B.C. next week
Health-care workers will be given first priority for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, which B.C. health officials say is expected to arrive by next week.
In a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the supply of the J&J vaccines will be limited.
“It will be available first for any health-care worker who wants to use this as their way of getting back to work.”
B.C.’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health-care workers means that anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated against the virus is currently on unpaid leave. But, Henry says there are health-care workers who are still unvaccinated but have been waiting for the J&J vaccine to get immunized.
“Some health care workers have said that this is the only option they will consider right now,” Henry said. “Our first priority will be offering it to health-care workers.”
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THE J&J VACCINE
The J&J vaccine is considered a more traditional vaccine as it uses virus-based technology, as opposed to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which use mRNA.
While the first couple of weeks administering the J&J vaccine will prioritize those in health care, Henry says there will be some available for others later on.
“There have been a lot of people who've reached out to me asking for the J&J vaccine,” she said. “We will have some available and we will be providing you with the details next week of how you can access this through a central call-in number.”
Among health-care workers, 97 per cent have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and are considered fully vaccinated, according to Dix.
Two per cent haven't had any shots, and the remaining one per cent have just the first dose.
The incoming J&J vaccine is different from other vaccines currently available in B.C. because a person is considered fully vaccinated after just one dose.
“It's been widely used in the U.S. as a single dose vaccine. And it has good, strong protection … the same as the two doses of AstraZeneca,” Henry said.
Henry said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has recently received approval from the U.S. CDC for the vaccine to be given as a booster shot six months after a person receives their primary dose. But, she noted, the company has not yet applied for approval of boosters in Canada.
HEALTH CANADA UPDATES SIDE EFFECTS
Common side effects from the J&J vaccine are temporary and can last a few hours to a few days, according to Health Canada’s web page on the vaccine.
“This is the body's natural response, as it's working hard to build protection against the disease,” reads the Health Canada website.
These side effects may include redness, soreness, swelling, chills, fatigue, joint pain, headache, muscle aches or a mild fever.
On Nov. 9, Health Canada said it’s updating the labels on the J&J vaccines (also known as the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine) to include warnings of very rare side effects.
The move provides “additional information about the very rare risk of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), an autoimmune condition, and the rare risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following vaccination,” reads a statement from the national health agency.
As the vaccine is still new in Canada, the agency is also providing information on what kind of side effects to watch out for. Health Canada says to seek medical attention if, after receiving the J&J vaccine, you have unexplained bleeding or bruising, small purplish spots beyond the site of vaccination, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg pain or swelling, or persistent abdominal pain.
Other rare side effects, for which people should also seek prompt medical attention, include swelling of the lips and mouth, itchy hives, sudden low blood pressure, vomiting and diarrhea or loss of consciousness.
But, Health Canada urges that people not be deterred, because the vaccine is approved for use in Canada and is overall safe and effective against the coronavirus.
“Our decisions are based only on scientific and medical evidence showing that vaccines are safe and effective. The benefits must also outweigh any risks,” reads the website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
New analysis of Beethoven's hair reveals possible cause of mysterious ailments, scientists say
High levels of lead detected in authenticated locks of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair suggest that the composer had lead poisoning, which may have contributed to ailments he endured over the course of his life, including deafness, according to new research.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.