KAWARTHA LAKES-The Ontario government has confirmed the first case of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) in a patient after receiving the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine.
Today, Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, issued the following statement:
“We have confirmed the first case of the rare blood clotting condition known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) in Ontario. The patient is a male in his 60s who had received his first dose of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine. The patient has received treatment and is recovering at home. Additional details will not be publicly released to protect the patient’s privacy.
The health and safety of Ontarians remains our top priority. While these serious reactions remain extremely rare, we have a robust process in place to monitor for any adverse events and have taken steps to ensure that these events are identified and treated as quickly as possible. All COVID-19 vaccines available in the province have been determined to be safe and effective by Health Canada, and have been shown to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.
This case marks the fourth case of VITT out of more than 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine that have been administered in Canada to date. We will continue to actively monitor the evolving situation and safety of all COVID-19 vaccines with our partners across the country.
Ontario will continue to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to individuals aged 40 years and over at the time of vaccination or any time in 2021. This approach is helping to maximize the number of people protected as quickly as possible to prevent further transmission and the much higher risks that come from COVID-19 infection.
The Health Canada approved vaccines are the best way to protect your health and those around you. Ontarians are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible and monitor their health after receiving their vaccination.”
Canada reported its first case of blood clotting last Tuesday in a Quebec woman who received the same vaccine. A second person who lives in Alberta and received a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine supplied by the Serum Institute of India, developed a blood clot and “has received treatment and is recovering,” Canadian health authorities wrote on Twitter.
Blood clot formations linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine “remain very rare” according to Health Canada and Canada still believes that the vaccine’s benefits “outweigh the potential risks,” Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada said.
Health authorities added that they would “continue to monitor the use of all #COVID19 vaccines closely and examine and assess any new safety concerns.”
