1st case of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine related death confirmed in Ontario - CityNews Toronto

Ontario has recorded its first case of an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine-related death.

The province’s Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe announced Tuesday that a man in his 40s had died a few weeks after getting the first dose of the vaccine at the end of April.

While the investigation is still ongoing, Dr. Yaffe said the man had vaccine induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia or VITT at the time of his death – the rare blood clots associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The province is currently reporting 16 cases of thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), of which, 13 meet the criteria for VITT.

Ontario paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a first dose on May 11 and is currently administering it as a second dose only.

Those who received their first dose between March 10 and 19 became eligible to book their second dose on Monday.

The second shots are being moved up by about 2 weeks and being given at the 10 week mark rather than the recommended 12 weeks as the province rushes to use a stockpile of 45,000 doses set to expire in roughly a week.

Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Medical Officer of Health, said the difference in vaccine efficacy at 10 weeks as opposed to 12 weeks is negligible.

“We’re seeing now with some new data from the U.K. that people who get two doses, as [time] goes on, their immunity keeps getting stronger and stronger, approaching some of that equal to the mRNA vaccines,” he said. “So it’s not that it’s a hazard to get it earlier, it’s just that the data we have is that it may not be as beneficial. But the actual difference between 10 and 12 is not that large.”

He said “we wouldn’t mind you waiting for 12 weeks,” if possible, but since they have vaccines that need to be utilized before expiry, those who received their first shots during the initial AstraZeneca pharmacy pilot project are being prioritized for their second dose slightly earlier.

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1st case of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine related death confirmed in Ontario - CityNews Toronto
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