A molecular medicine specialist with McMaster University says he’s not surprised the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is coming under fire for statements contradicting advice Canadians have been getting for weeks to take the first vaccine against COVID-19 that they’re offered.
Dr. Brian D. Lichty says it’s really unfortunate that the agency has “muddied the waters a little bit” by suggesting that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are “preferred” and putting the onus of figuring out which vaccine to get on the community.
“It’s a little hard to assess the risk, it is a little higher with the adenovirus vector vaccines, but it’s also a little hard for every individual to assess their own personal risk,” Lichty told Global News.
On Monday, NACI gave its assessment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and in the process suggested that someone working from home with little risk of infection might want to wait for an mRNA vaccine.
In part, the advice comes from studies that have linked a new and extremely rare blood-clotting syndrome to both the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca shots.
Lichty says it’s “a little hard to tell” from the research how much risk there actually is with the vaccines, saying that a culmination of data he’s seen suggests it may be one in 250,000 people that might come down with the affliction.
“If you put the data all in from various sources somewhere in that range, it’s still hard to tell,” said Lichty.
“And it’s also a little hard to tell whether it depends on if you’re male or female or what your age is.”
A professor with Ryerson University who specializes in health and safety says the NACI messaging is likely “confusing” for the general public but says from a technical perspective, it is correct.
“Yes, for sure, the Moderna and Pfizer ones definitely seem to be more effective,” said Dr. Thomas Tenkate.
“But if your purpose and your goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible and you’ve got a range of vaccines available and they’re all effective, then I don’t know that those comments are helpful.”
The head of the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) said two words came into his head when he heard NACI’s recommendation: “disappointed and irresponsible.”
OPA CEO Justin Bates told Global News that the suggestion is creating unnecessary concerns and confusion within the public.
Ontario pharmacy vaccination programs before last week were exclusively administering the AstraZeneca shot and since NACI’s message, Bates says his members have been receiving numerous calls asking questions about efficacy.
“I think the mixed communications coming out from NACI is causing people to be more vaccine-hesitant, potentially introducing a dangerous precedent where people may not get a second dose when it is a safe and effective vaccine. So that’s our position,” Bates said.
The 1,400 pharmacies that participated in the AstraZeneca rollout have gone through about 97 per cent of the inventory they have received and have “no line in sight” on when those stocks will be replenished since shipments from India were stopped to cater to domestic needs.
As of last week, 16 pharmacies in Toronto and Peel Region began a pilot project to administer Pfizer doses in at-risk hot-spot areas. Each store received around 150 shots each, and all have been administered.
Bates says another pilot project is coming featuring Moderna doses, which is expected to happen in five public health regions in the coming week.
Both Lichty and Tenkate agree that those now eligible for shots should probably put aside what they’ve heard and get whichever vaccine they can.
“If you’re living in a hot spot particularly, and you’re going out into the community at all for work or otherwise, you should get whatever vaccine that your hands on,” Lichty said.
“What I would say is just try to block all that out and say what would I rather have COVID or not have COVID,” Tenkate said. “Obviously, the answer is not.”
Hamilton surpasses 200,000 vaccinations, offers AstraZeneca clinic this week
As of Wednesday, Hamilton topped the 200,000 mark in COVID-19 vaccination doses administered through city clinics, local hospitals, primary care partners and pharmacies.
Public health says 202,666 shots have been given out as of the end of day on Tuesday.
The city will expand its COVID-19 vaccination plan on Thursday with a one-week Oxford-AstraZeneca clinic at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre on Main Street East.
The clinic runs May 6 to 13 between 11:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Appointments for the shots can be booked through the public health hotline (905-974-9848, option 7).
Proof of age is required when someone shows up for their shot. No walk-ins are permitted for the clinics.
Hamiltonians 50 years of age and older, individuals considered to have high-risk health conditions and those who cannot work from home will also be able to book appointments starting Thursday with the province’s online portal.
As of Wednesday, Canada is reporting that just over 11 million people have received at least one vaccine shot, while Ontario says about 5.6 million have gotten jabs with just over 380,000 fully vaccinated.
Hamilton reports 149 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths
Hamilton reported 149 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday and three more virus-related deaths.
One of the deceased was connected with the large outbreak at the Rebecca Towers apartment complex in central Hamilton.
Public health said the surge involves 67 total cases among 66 tenants and one staff member. Officials say there are currently 28 active cases in the surge.
In a release on Tuesday afternoon, the city said paramedics will be making a trip to the building on Thursday to test all residents.
Two other deaths recorded on May 5 are from a pair of hospital surges at Hamilton General’s unit 4 west and the Juravinski’s unit F4, according to public health.
The deceased were a person in their 60s, another in their 70s and one in their 80s.
The city has now had 363 deaths since the pandemic began.
All of the new outbreaks reported Wednesday were on the Mountain at Criticall Ontario, a Rygiel supports home and the St. Thomas More Children’s Centre.
The largest is the workplace outbreak at Criticall, which involves three staffers.
Five outbreaks were declared over on Wednesday at three workplaces, a child care facility and a supportive housing facility.
The largest of the closed surges was at Air Wise Sales, which had 20 cases among employees and at the Sunshine daycare on the west Mountain, which had eight cases among patrons and seven among staff.
As of Wednesday, Hamilton has 35 total outbreaks with over 300 cases, and 15 are workplace outbreaks involving 131 infections.
Patients with COVID-19 within the city’s two hospital agencies stands at 151, with 103 at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and 48 with St. Joe’s. Almost half of COVID-19 patients at HHS hospitals (49) are in intensive care units (ICU).
More than 70 per cent of Hamilton’s 1,266 active cases are with residents under the age of 50, according to public health data. About 40 per cent of active cases are in people under 30.
Comments