Canada still expects its first shipment of Johnson & Johnson Covid 19 vaccines at the end of the month despite US and EU breaks over blood clot fears, officials said Tuesday while also announcing a first Canadian coagulation case related with the AstraZeneca jab.
© Lars Hagberg
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would still receive its first consignment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines, but he was following developments in the United States over fears of blood clots.
US health authorities had earlier recommended interrupting the Johnson & Johnson shot while the company said it would slow down its European rollout, after six American women between the ages of 18 and 48 developed a rare type of blood clot in the brain along with low platelets has.
One later died while the other was in critical condition.
“We are still on track to receive our first consignment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines by the end of this month,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference.
“But of course we are keeping a close eye on developments in the United States,” he said.
Health Canada approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on March 5 along with three others. They are said to be working with the manufacturer, the US Food and Drug Administration and other international regulators to determine the safety of the shot, as it awaits orders for up to 38 million doses.
The agency also identified Canada’s first case of low-platelet coagulation in a Quebec woman who received an AstraZeneca shot made by the Serum Institute of India.
“The person is now recovering at home,” reads a statement, adding that he continues to use the vaccine, saying that the benefits of protection against the coronavirus “outweigh the potential risks.”
As of Tuesday, Canada has recorded more than 1,076,000 cases of coronavirus and 23,385 deaths.
According to the website Covid-19 Vaccination Tracker, 20 percent of the 38 million Canadian population received at least one dose.
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