Rabu, 31 Maret 2021

McMaster lab to screen for rare antibody that causes blood clots after AstraZeneca vaccine - CBC.ca

A team of doctors at Hamilton's McMaster University is preparing to test blood samples from across Canada in search of a rare type of clot linked to the Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

There have been no cases of vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (VIPIT) in Canada, but there have been cases in Europe. Since those cases, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has recommended pausing administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to those under age 55.

The McMaster team is preparing to screen blood samples of Canadian patients who may have had VIPIT.

In the meantime, clinical hematologist Meneka Pai, among doctors involved in the McMaster testing, says she likes the idea of pausing the vaccine for "more study" into its safety.

"Ten days ago, we didn't know that this condition existed, so things are moving really fast," Pai told CBC News. 

Dr. Menaka Pai, a clinical hematologist at McMaster University Menaka Pai and a member of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, says 'things are moving fast' when it comes to vaccine-related findings. (Submitted by Menaka Pai)

"I think when things are moving so fast, just taking this brief pause [allows us to] figure out what's going on … gather more data, tighten up those estimations and continue doing surveillance in Canada to make sure we're not seeing these cases."

When a blood clot occurs, the flow of blood stops, said Pai. 

"In many blood clots, it's platelets, little sticky cells — they basically turn on and they form a jam. If you get a blood clot, it stops healthy blood from flowing to the area. And it actually stops deoxygenated blood from draining, so there's a problem with flowing in and flowing out," said Pai.

"In VIPIT, what happens is that patients get the vaccine, and then it seems that four to 20 days later, their body makes a molecule called an antibody and that antibody actually attacks the person's own platelets. These platelets switch on and they get sticky. Now you have these sticky cells and they start to form clots.

"So the real key with VIPIT is there's this predisposing factor of the vaccine, and then the immune response revs up, and then four to 20 days later, we see this very dangerous antibody forming," the hematologist said.

More women than men, but why?

Pai, who is also a member of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said while there have been no vaccine-induced VIPIT cases in Canada, the majority of them elsewhere involved people under 55, and more often women.

But Pai said it's not known if this is a predisposition, because countries in Europe preferentially gave the AstraZeneca vaccine to younger people and health-care workers. There are more women in the latter group.

"We don't know if it's true that it's women under age 55 who are very at-risk, or is it just because this is who got the AstraZeneca vaccine in the countries that are reporting? So, we're waiting on data," she said.

"Is the U.K. going to tell us something different, because they vaccinated older people? We're sort of keeping our ears open but right now."

Dr. Donald Arnold, medical director of the Platelet Immunology Laboratory at McMaster University, says the school's lab is 'very equipped' to do special testing for platelet disorders. (Submitted by Jessica Clarke)

Dr. Donald Arnold, medical director of the Platelet Immunology Laborotory at McMaster, said preliminary reports from Europe show people who develop VIPIT had "very positive tests in what's called platelet activation assays."

He said the McMaster lab is "very equipped" to do those tests. The lab runs specialized tests for different types of platelet disorders, including screening for Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Know the risks

People with HIT sometimes develop a low platelet count and blood clots.

"As it turned out, this vaccine-induced syndrome called VIPIT is very similar to Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and the testing is quite similar as well," Arnold told CBC News.

"We're the only reference lab in Canada that does this whole battery of testing. It has, up until now, been a fairly niche area and not a common test that's been required although it had its own place in medicine, looking for this type of disorder called HIT."

Arnold said the lab is offering "confirmatory testing" for anyone in Canada suspected of developing vaccine-induced VIPIT.

"I think what really has to happen with this vaccine is people who get it, and doctors who are giving it or overseeing it, have to be aware that this is a potential risk and know what signs and symptoms to look out for."

Symptoms include headaches and seizures

Arnold added: "If a person does end up presenting with some of those signs and symptoms, they should be investigated with routine tests first and then a consultation with a hematologist should happen.

"If there is still a suspicion that this could be a real case of vaccine-induced VIPIT, then they should send the sample to us to do the confirmation." The lab will be able to detect VIPIT in two or three days. 

An advisory issued by the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table says VIPIT symptoms include:

  • Persistent and severe headaches.
  • Seizures.
  • Blurred vision.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Chest or abdominal pain.
  • Redness in a limb.

"We just want to give clinicians and Canadians the best information on how to detect this and treat this — that's the goal of the science table," said Pai.

"We're not making vaccine policy. We're here to tell people we know what this is, we know how to treat it, if it happens you're going to be ready to give the patient really good care."

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2021-03-31 22:00:10Z
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Etches asking province to put Ottawa into grey-lockdown zone - CBC.ca

Ottawa's medical officer of health has asked the province for the city to move into a grey-lockdown zone before the Easter long weekend, after a recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Vera Etches made the comments in a news conference Wednesday afternoon as the city's key COVID-19 indicators are well in the red on the province's colour-coded pandemic scale, and are continuing to rise.

"We have consistently seen with holiday weekends that they're followed with a bump up in the number of people testing positive," she said. "I'm asking people to do their part."

If COVID-19 levels are not brought under control, the city will see stronger lockdowns, she said.

With a rise in cases of variants of concern, Etches said outdoor sports and gatherings are not immune from transmitting COVID-19.

She said people need to stop dining indoors with people outside their household, not to have outdoor barbecues with people outside their household, and not gather with friends or extended family over the long weekend.

Etches said she understands businesses can be negatively impacted if they aren't given sufficient notice about greater restrictions, and has been working with local business groups to ensure businesses know a move to grey is likely coming.

Stronger restrictions

Going grey means no indoor gatherings, except with members of the same household. Physically-distanced outdoor gatherings can't be larger than 10 people.

Indoor dining in restaurants is also banned and they must stop serving alcohol by 9 p.m. ET and close by 10 p.m. Patios can stay open in grey, but only people who live together can sit together.

Religious services, weddings and funerals are limited to 15 per cent of indoor capacity and a maximum of 50 people outdoors. Drive-in services are allowed.

Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, says new COVID-19 infections are outpacing the rate of vaccinations, leading to a need for stronger restrictions. 0:57

Another aspect that's different from the winter shutdown is that in-person shopping is still allowed for all businesses, but supermarkets and pharmacies are limited to half capacity, and all other stores can be only 25 per cent full.

Personal-care services can open in grey zones at a maximum of 25 per cent capacity or five people, whichever is less, as of April 12.

Most indoor and outdoor sports facilities and gyms must also close. Some are allowed to stay open for day camps and child care. 

As of late March, outdoor fitness classes can host a maximum of 10 people if the space allows for distancing.

Not ruling out stronger measures

Etches suggested the restrictions under the grey zone may not be strong enough to prevent the surge in infections the city is seeing.

"What is permissible is one thing, but what is desirable, what will protect each other, what will protect yourself from these asymptomatic transmissions that occur with the variants, it really is the basics of keeping distance between people who don't live with you and using a mask to add that barrier," she said.

A pair in masks walks in downtown Ottawa in March 2021. (Brian Morris/CBC)

She said she wouldn't rule out stronger local restrictions if the situation doesn't improve and infection rates outpace vaccinations in the city.

"We will get to better protection from vaccines [but] there's too much damage to be done if we let COVID run wild before then."

Schools to remain open

Despite a number of outbreaks at schools across the city and "significant' numbers of school-age children testing positive for the illness, Etches said she is advocating for schools to remain open.

"If we can bring the COVID levels down in the community, that is essential for schools to manage," she said.

The chief of staff of the local children's hospital echoed Etches's comments at Wednesday's news conference.

"Schools should be the last things to close and the first to open," said Dr. Lindy Samson, CHEO's chief medical officer.

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2021-03-31 21:39:39Z
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COVID-19: Pregnant women in Alberta seek changes to vaccine rollout within Phase 2B - Globalnews.ca

Pregnant women in Alberta qualify for Phase 2B of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout but some are calling for changes to how the rollout works.

Currently, Albertans born between 1957 and 1963 can book appointments at participating pharmacies while those born between 1957 and 1959 can book through Alberta Health Services.

With the rollout based on year of birth, many pregnant women who fall between the ages of 20 and 40 will not be able to book for some time.

Kayla Kashuba was born in 1990 and is pregnant with her first child.

“It’s been a little bit scary. My whole family has tried to be extra precautious,” she said of being pregnant during a pandemic.

Kashuba was initially excited to learn pregnant women were included in Phase 2B but she has concerns that she will not be able to access the vaccine before her due date on April 10.

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“If we continue by birth year, it could be weeks before it’s my turn. The baby could come at any point now,” she said.

Kashuba said she would like to see pregnant women vaccinated as quickly as possible and for Phase 2B to include those who are breastfeeding.

“I think it’s great pregnant women are included… but [I feel] a little bit disappointed because I feel like the decision-makers have maybe missed the mark a bit,” she said.

“There’s some unfairness there because we don’t stay pregnant forever. This is just a temporary thing. Did they think about that? I’m not too sure.”

On March 16, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw explained why the province had included pregnant women in Phase 2B, which covers Albertans who have an underlying health condition.

“Pregnancy is a condition that a multitude of research has indicated causes increased risk of severe outcomes when compared with women who are not pregnant,” she said.

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READ MORE: Doctors urge high-risk pregnant, breastfeeding women to get access to COVID-19 vaccines

Hinshaw said there have not been clinical vaccine trials done in women who are pregnant but said observational outcomes have shown there have been no adverse events reported in pregnant women or their babies.

“We know that both pregnant women and their babies are at increased risk of severe outcomes when it comes to being infected with COVID-19,” Hinshaw said.

“We want to give women that opportunity to make the choice for themselves based on that balance of risks, understanding there is still some evidence that is not available. But we know the Canadian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology has recommended that pregnant women be offered the vaccine.”

Women at any stage of pregnancy are eligible for the vaccine in Phase 2B.

An international study is currently underway with 4,000 volunteers to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine in pregnant women. It is being conducted by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE.

READ MORE: Pfizer, BioNTech begin COVID-19 vaccine trials on pregnant women

Studies have suggested that babies born to vaccinated mothers could have antibodies.

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A study in Israel, which has not been peer-reviewed, evaluated the levels of antibodies of 20 pregnant women who had received two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during their third trimester of pregnancy and in their newborns. In all cases, antibodies were detected at adequate levels.

READ MORE: Babies born to COVID-19 vaccinated moms could have antibodies, study suggests

The authors noted the small size of the study and said further research was necessary to gauge the effect of vaccination at different stages of pregnancy, and the safety and efficacy of the different vaccines now available.

Further, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard looked at 84 pregnant, 31 lactating and 16 non-pregnant COVID-19-vaccinated women and found antibody levels were comparable in all three groups.

Antibodies were present in all umbilical cord blood and breast milk samples taken in the study, with researchers saying it shows the transfer of antibodies from mother to newborn.

A separate U.S. study posted last week, also awaiting peer review, found that the antibodies induced in pregnant women from mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, such as the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots, were transferred to the babies via the placenta or breast milk.

Theresa Saretsky was born in 1995 and is pregnant with her second child.

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She, like Kashuba, was excited to learn that pregnant women were included in Phase 2B but said that vaccines should not be given to this group based on age.

“I think they maybe should have split it up and made different [streams] for each group because I don’t think there’s anyone in the current group [who is eligible] that is pregnant and expecting,” Saretsky said.

Saretsky said she would like to see lactating mothers added to the Phase 2B list.

“If they have those abilities to pass those antibodies, they should be able to,” she said.

“At this point, it’s not more my protection; I want to be able to protect my baby and give them those antibodies that are protection.”

In a statement, Alberta Health said it is using a staggered rollout because of limited supply.

“Age remains the largest risk factor in experiencing severe outcomes, which is why we are starting with the oldest members of this cohort,” said spokesperson Tom McMillan.

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“We will be expanding the rollout to include other birth years within 2B as quickly as the limited vaccine supply allows.”

– With files from Reuters

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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2021-03-31 20:57:35Z
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COVID-19: B.C. hit with 'overwhelming' response to book AstraZeneca vaccines - Vancouver Sun

Starting today people aged 55 to 65 living in the Lower Mainland can book a vaccine but people can expect delays and waitlists to book a jab.

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Starting today people aged 55 to 65 living in the Lower Mainland can book an AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine, but so far the rollout has not gone smoothly.

Frustrated folks in the region faced busy phone signals at pharmacies, jammed websites, waitlists, and at least one pharmacy chain saying it was all booked up.

On Tuesday night, a day before the bookings opened for this category, London Drugs announced on Twitter that due to an “overwhelming response,” all vaccine appointments had been booked at the three London Drugs pharmacies selected by the B.C. government to offer the vaccine.

The company asked people not to call the pharmacies so they can prepare for the “fully booked” appointments.

Those who felt confused or daunted by the process took to social media to complain about the booking system. Some were upset about London Drugs booking on Tuesday ahead of the Wednesday start, while others despaired over not being able to get a booking because the pharmacy had already run out of AstraZeneca.

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There are dozens of pharmacies around the region offering the jab. The B.C. Pharmacy Association website has a list of pharmacies offering the vaccine, which will be updated regularly in the coming weeks.

However, callers to several pharmacies on the list were met with a busy signal Wednesday morning, indicating a demand for the vaccine.

The 2019 population data for those aged 55 to 65 in the Lower Mainland show there are 275,457 people in that age category in the Fraser Health Authority and 176,431 in Vancouver Coastal.

Those trying for an appointment on the North Shore faced difficulties. For instance, Davies Prescription Pharmacy, which is one of two North Shore pharmacies on the vaccination list, said they were out of a very limited supply of AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday morning, while the other one on the list is a London Drugs, which is booked. There is no pharmacy listed for West Vancouver.

The Costco Pharmacy in Abbotsford said they haven’t received any AstraZeneca yet and directed people to add their name to a waitlist at costco.ca.  Rexall pharmacies also has a waitlist.

In an emailed statement, Loblaw said select Shoppers Drug Marts in the Lower Mainland would be administering the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Thursday and Friday for British Columbia residents, 55 to 65 years of age. The company said patients are encouraged to contact their local participating pharmacy.

However, the Loblaw spokesperson did not respond to questions about the difficulty patients were having contacting their local pharmacies.

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The Ministry of Health has been contacted to address the situation.

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Interim leader of the Official Opposition Shirley Bond and MLA Renee Merrifield, the B.C. Liberal critic for health, released a joint statement Wednesday, saying the NDP’s “constant bungling” is creating confusion and concern over vaccinations.

The government announced Tuesday that those in the age 55 to 65 category could start booking vaccines, but many pharmacies were overwhelmed or didn’t know they were on the vaccination list, they said.

“For weeks we have consistently been asking John Horgan to include community pharmacies as part of the rollout and to have a clearly laid out plan. That didn’t happen and British Columbians deserve better. Yesterday was just another example of incompetence from a government that cannot manage to deliver on critical programs like the vaccination rollout, they said.

“Now the 55 to 65 age cohort in the Lower Mainland is left wondering what happened after feeling a sense of hope about the possibility of being vaccinated. We can certainly understand how people are feeling frustration and anger about the latest problems with the vaccination rollout.”

Bond and Merrifield said there needs to be a provincial booking system.

Shortly before 1 p.m., Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry released a statement insisting that the age-based system of vaccine delivery is working.

They said the vaccine is available to anyone 73 and over, Indigenous peoples over 18 and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable. In a few week, they said those 65 and over can book.

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Dix and Henry said vaccine doses are on the way and everyone who is eligible and who wants a vaccine will get one, ahead of schedule and before Canada Day.

“We must all be patient and continue to follow the guidelines that are keeping us all as safe and healthy as possible, and to use all of the layers of protection that we can to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities safe until we can all be fully vaccinated from COVID-19,” they said.

London Drugs’ announcement caused many social media users to express frustration about how people could book on Tuesday when they were told by government that bookings opened on Wednesday.

The company apologized in a statement on Facebook Wednesday.

“We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the vaccine bookings for the 55-65 age group that the BC government announced yesterday,” the statement read.

London Drugs said as soon as the news was public all of its Lower Mainland stores became inundated with customers wanting to book appointments.

“Our pharmacies that were selected immediately began taking down eligible patient information aged 55 to 65 for appointments. There was no requirement we were aware of in our information by government to wait to take appointments, only that vaccines would be made available to us the morning of March 31.”

London Drugs said its three designated vaccination sites in Metro Vancouver have received limited allocations of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

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“As soon as more supply becomes available, we will open up our online booking similarly to what we would do with routine flu vaccinations. We are ready to vaccinate as many people as possible and expect more information on increased allotment will be coming in the days ahead.”

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The province decided to bump up its age-based immunization plan for AstraZeneca shots after concerns about rare blood clots prompted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to pause the use of the vaccine for anyone under 55.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says in a news release that the vaccine remains highly effective and its benefits for those over 55 far outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection.

More than 99,000 B.C. residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and infections have surged across the province in recent weeks, with 840 new cases reported Tuesday.

Those going to get a vaccine will be required to bring their Personal Health Number, located on your CareCard or driver’s license.

The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine is currently not available in pharmacies in the Northern, Interior, and Vancouver Island health authorities at this time.

-with files from The Canadian Press and Nathan Griffiths

ticrawford@postmedia.com


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  1. A health worker prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Madrid on March 24, 2021.

    COVID-19: Dr. Henry explains future of parallel AstraZeneca track

  2. The provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

    COVID-19: Health Ministry mum on call to change vaccination priorities in B.C.

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2021-03-31 20:03:32Z
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What the doctor who found the link between blood clots and the AstraZeneca vaccine wants you to know - CTV News

TORONTO -- Dr. Andreas Greinacher led the team that discovered the link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and a rare blood clotting disorder, but he wants people to know the risk of developing the clots is low.

Greinacher found that in some patients, the AstraZeneca vaccine was triggering antibodies that set off a platelet response. That means the the antibodies made the platelets, small blood cells that help form clots to stop bleeding, behave as though they were treating a wound and trigger clotting.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Greinacher said that the causal link is still unknown, and there could be co-factors in the small number of patients who developed vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (VIPIT). VIPIT is the name given to the type of clotting that seems to occur as a rare reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“It could very well be that in these individual patients are two or three co-factors present at the same time, which together at the time point of vaccination trigger these antibodies,” he said.

While his team continues to investigate what exactly causes this reaction, Greinacher said that there are far fewer people developing this antibody response than are getting sick with COVID-19.

“The number of individuals being severely sickened by the pandemic, by COVID-19, outnumber those who suffer from the vaccination reaction by several orders of magnitude,” he said.

While he said it is not up to him who is approved for the vaccine and who isn’t, he doesn’t think stopping vaccinations is the right decision.

“It would be dangerous to stop vaccination, only because of the fear, for a very rare adverse event,”he said.

Thinking about the dangers we face each day, driving a car on a busy highway, riding a bicycle in major cities, they are far greater risks than the clotting issue associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, he said.

“Running down the road with a motorcycle is by far, far, far more dangerous than getting the vaccine,” he said. “Take 1.4 million motorcycle riders, let them drive two weeks, how many severe accidents, you will see.”

For a medical comparison, he points to the use of the blood thinning medication heparin in hospitals. There are people who suffer adverse reactions to heparin, similar to the reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but to stop using it altogether would be catastrophic.

Greinacher said that to stop the use of the clotting treatment in hospital would result in many more deaths due to fatal embolisms and other clot-related complications.

Within the span of two weeks, Greinacher and his colleagues were able to develop a screening test, a test to confirm the response in a lab and now, a potential treatment.

“The first anecdotal feedbacks I receive from treating physician, it seems to work quite well,” he said.

The focus now for Greinacher and his colleagues is determining how the vaccine is associated with, or induces, this response in the body.

“I have to say very clearly, there is no direct link that the vaccine itself is inducing the antibody, it could be that the vaccine is triggering something else in the human body, which then is modifying the immune system, which is then starting to produce the antibodies,” he said.

“It's too early to make a really clear correlation and very clear association between the vaccine and formation of the antibodies,” he added.

His message is clear: While there is a risk of having an adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the risk is so small that people shouldn’t be concerned about getting the vaccine.

“To stop or to avoid vaccination, only for the fear of getting an extremely rare, adverse reaction would be completely wrong.”

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2021-03-31 18:50:00Z
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COVID-19: B.C. hit with 'overwhelming' response to book AstraZeneca vaccines - Vancouver Sun

Starting today people aged 55 to 65 living in the Lower Mainland can book a vaccine but people can expect delays and waitlists to book a jab.

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Starting today people aged 55 to 65 living in the Lower Mainland can book an AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine, but so far the rollout has not gone smoothly.

Frustrated folks in the region faced busy phone signals at pharmacies, jammed online bookings, waitlists, and at least one pharmacy chain saying it was all booked up.

On Tuesday night, a day before the bookings opened for this category, London Drugs announced on Twitter that due to an “overwhelming response,” all vaccine appointments had been booked at the three London Drugs pharmacies selected by the B.C. government to offer the vaccine.

The company asked people not to call the pharmacies so they can prepare for the “fully booked” appointments.

Those who felt confused or daunted by the process took to social media to complain about the booking system. Some were upset about London Drugs booking on Tuesday ahead of the Wednesday start, while others despaired over not being able to get a booking because the pharmacy had already ran out of AstraZeneca.

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There are dozens of pharmacies around the region offering the jab. The B.C. Pharmacy Association website has a list of pharmacies offering the vaccine, which will be updated regularly in the coming weeks.

However, callers to several pharmacies on the list were met with a busy signal Wednesday morning, indicating there may be a significant demand for the vaccine.

The 2019 population data for those aged 55 to 65 in the Lower Mainland show there are 275,457 people in that age category in the Fraser Health Authority and 176,431 in Vancouver Coastal.

Those trying for an appointment on the North Shore faced difficulties. For instance, Davies Prescription Pharmacy, which is one of two North Shore pharmacies on the vaccination list, said they were out of a very limited supply of AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday morning, while the other one on the list is a London Drugs, which is booked. There is no pharmacy listed for West Vancouver.

The Costco Pharmacy in Abbotsford said they haven’t received any AstraZeneca yet and directed people to add their name to a waitlist at costco.ca.  Rexall pharmacies also has a waitlist.

The Ministry of Health has been contacted to address the situation.

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London Drugs’ announcement caused many to express frustration on social media about how people could book on Tuesday when they were told by government that bookings opened on Wednesday.

The company has been contacted for a response but has not yet returned messages.

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The province decided to bump up its age-based immunization plan for AstraZeneca shots after concerns about rare blood clots prompted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to pause the use of the vaccine for anyone under 55.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says in a news release that the vaccine remains highly effective and its benefits for those over 55 far outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection.

More than 99,000 B.C. residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and infections have surged across the province in recent weeks, with 840 new cases reported Tuesday.

“As soon as the news was public all of our Lower Mainland British Columbia stores became inundated with customers wanting to book appointments,” London Drugs said on Twitter.

London Drugs said its three designated vaccination sites in Metro Vancouver have received limited allocations of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“As soon as more supply becomes available, we will open up our online booking similarly to what we would do with routine flu vaccinations. We are ready to vaccinate as many people as possible and expect more information on increased allotment will be coming in the days ahead.”

Those going to get a vaccine will be required to bring their Personal Health Number, located on your CareCard or driver’s license.

The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine is currently not available in pharmacies in the Northern, Interior, and Vancouver Island health authorities at this time.

-with files from The Canadian Press and Nathan Griffiths

ticrawford@postmedia.com


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  1. A health worker prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Madrid on March 24, 2021.

    COVID-19: Dr. Henry explains future of parallel AstraZeneca track

  2. The provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

    COVID-19: Health Ministry mum on call to change vaccination priorities in B.C.

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2021-03-31 17:26:15Z
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Pfizer study suggests COVID-19 vaccine is safe, protective in younger teens - CBC.ca

Pfizer announced Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before they head back to school in the fall.

Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the novel coronavirus. Pfizer's vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. 

In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 cases among those given dummy shots, Pfizer reported in a media release on Wednesday.

It's a small study, that hasn't yet been published, so another important piece of evidence is how well the shots revved up the kids' immune systems. Researchers reported "robust antibody responses," the release said. 

Kids had side effects similar to young adults, the company said. The main side effects are pain, fever, chills and fatigue, particularly after the second dose. The study will continue to track participants for two years for more information about long-term protection and safety.

  • Have a question or something to say? CBC News is live in the comments now.

Pediatric studies underway for other vaccines 

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in the coming weeks plan to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European regulators to allow emergency use of the shots starting at age 12.

"We share the urgency to expand the use of our vaccine," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. He expressed "the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year" in the United States.

A spokesperson for Pfizer Canada said the company intends to file the pediatric data with Health Canada.

Health Canada authorizes vaccines for use in different age populations in this country.

Pfizer isn't the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Results also are expected soon from a U.S. study of Moderna's vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds.

But in a sign that the findings were promising, the FDA already allowed both companies to begin U.S. studies in children 11 and younger, working their way to as young as six months old.

AstraZeneca last month began a study of its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. Johnson & Johnson is planning its own pediatric studies. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as three.

While most COVID-19 vaccines being used globally were first tested in tens of thousands of adults, pediatric studies won't need to be nearly as large. Scientists have safety information from those studies and from subsequent vaccinations in millions more adults.

One key question is the dosage: Pfizer gave the 12-and-older participants the same dose adults receive, while testing different doses in younger children.

U.S. FDA timeline not clear

It's not clear how quickly the FDA would act on Pfizer's request to allow vaccination starting at age 12. Another question is when the country would have enough supply of shots — and people to get them into adolescents' arms — to let kids start getting in line.

Supplies are set to steadily increase over the spring and summer, at the same time states are opening vaccinations to younger, healthier adults who until now haven't had a turn.

Children represent about 13 per cent of COVID-19 cases documented in the U.S. And while children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill, at least 268 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 13,500 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That's more than die from the flu in an average year. Additionally, a small number have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus.

Caleb Chung, seen in this December 2020 photo as he gets his first dose of either the Pfizer vaccine or a placebo, says the study was, 'was really somewhere that I could actually help out.' (Richard Chung/The Associated Press)

Caleb Chung, who turns 13 later this week, agreed to volunteer after his father, a Duke University pediatrician, presented the option. He doesn't know if he received the vaccine or a placebo.

"Usually I'm just at home doing online school and there's not much I can really do to fight back against the virus," Caleb said in a recent interview. The study "was really somewhere that I could actually help out."

His father, Dr. Richard Chung, said he's proud of his son and all the other children volunteering for the needle pricks, blood tests and other tasks a study entails.

"We need kids to do these trials so that kids can get protected. Adults can't do that for them," Chung said.


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2021-03-31 15:19:37Z
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Canada's economy grew 0.7% in January - CBC.ca

Statistics Canada says the economy grew 0.7 per cent in January.

The increase in real gross domestic product compared with a gain of 0.1 per cent in December.

The growth also topped the agency's preliminary estimate for the month of 0.5 per cent.auto

It was the ninth consecutive monthly increase since the plunge in the economy last year at the start of the pandemic in March and April.

However, Statistics Canada noted that total economic activity was still about three per cent below the February level last year, before the pandemic began.

The agency's preliminary estimate for February this year shows growth of 0.5 per cent for the month.

For January, manufacturing, construction and real estate all contributed to economic growth.

The manufacturing sector expanded 1.9 per cent in January, offsetting a 0.7 per cent contraction in December.

The gain in GDP is impressive considering that an early estimate pegged the increase at 0.5 per cent, said Douglas Porter, an economist at the Bank of Montreal.

He said many forecasts issued a few months ago called for a decline in first-quarter GDP, but the latest estimate from BMO Economics predicts an increase of 3.5 per cent.

"The economy held up much better than expected through the second wave [of pandemic] restrictions through the winter," Porter said in a statement.

Wholesale trade was up 3.9 per cent in January, following a 1.5 per cent contraction in December.

"A big rebound in wholesale trade more than offset the drop in retail activity, in part due to a shift to online spending," Porter said.

Clothing stores down 17%

The hardest hit brick-and-mortar retailers included clothing and clothing accessories stores — down 17 per cent — and sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores — down 14.1 per cent.

However, general merchandise stores grew 3.3 per cent, while building material and garden supply dealers saw a gain of 3.6 per cent because of home improvement projects.

Accommodation and food services declined three per cent in January, following a 6.7 per cent decrease in December. Meanwhile, non-store retailers expanded activity for the third month in a row, rising by 2.8 per cent in January.

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2021-03-31 14:53:23Z
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Expert says rush for AstraZeneca vaccine appointments at B.C. pharmacies a good sign - News 1130

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Bookings are supposed to start Wednesday, but at least one major pharmacy chain in B.C. says it had already filled up all its appointments by Tuesday night for people aged 55 to 65 who want the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The provincial government on Tuesday gave a day’s notice that the age group could start getting the AstraZeneca shots at 150 pharmacy locations in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions. But it appears London Drugs started taking bookings right away, filling all available time slots by Tuesday night and asking people to stop calling its pharmacies directly.

In a statement, London Drugs says its phone lines “became inundated with customers wanting to book appointments” as soon as the province made the announcement.

“At the three stores where we have so far been allocated vaccines, these pharmacies immediately began taking down eligible patient information aged 55 to 65 for appointments,” the statement reads.

The company notes there are limited number of vaccines allocated to each company.

“As soon as more supply becomes available, we will open up our online booking similarly to what we would do with routine flu vaccinations,” it adds. “We are ready to vaccinate as many people as possible and expect more information on increased allotment will be coming in the days ahead.”

There’s some frustration online, but one expert sees a silver lining.

“There’s so much concern about how there’s been an erosion of public trust with this vaccine, with lots of mixed messaging and communication gaps and then a rare but not zero per cent safety issue, so it is good to hear that there are people who are willing to get this vaccine in the 55-plus age group,” says Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases scientist at the University of Toronto.

“At the end of the day it’s a good vaccine. We are seeing how it is truly contributing to the transformation of the epidemic in United Kingdom. It has tremendous potential to reduce the risk of infection and even those who get the infection, there is evidence that with AstraZeneca, people just don’t have as severe an infection. I’m really happy people are lining up to get this,” he adds.

Bogoch says the negative headlines about AstraZeneca’s vaccine being linked to blood clots in a small number of patients can’t be ignored, but there is still potential for the shot to do tremendous good.

“I think the big message here is that it’s clear people still want this vaccine and that is very positive. It is extremely effective and it will help at an individual level and, of course, at a population level when more and more people get vaccinated,” he tells NEWS 1130.

“I think the true test will not be today or this week but in the weeks and weeks ahead to see if the demand for this vaccine remains high. There’s still such a shortage of vaccines in much of the country that there is still a significant demand. But as more and more people get vaccinated, will that demand for this particular vaccine remain high? I don’t know.”

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