Saskatchewan officials have confirmed that the first case of a vaccine-related blood clotting condition has been reported in the province, following the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
One female patient has been confirmed with a case of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), a serious blood-clotting condition that has been linked as an adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The patient is in the 60 to 69 age group and had received an AstraZeneca vaccine dose on April 11. She has now received treatment for VITT and is in recovery, said a statement from the provincial government.
A total of 18 confirmed cases of VITT have been reported in all of Canada, according to data from the national Public Health Agency (PHAC). Saskatchewan’s case will be included in those national statistics.
The confirmed case follows a very recent announcement from public health that the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used for first doses in vaccine clinics moving forward. Officials said that the decision was made due to supply constraints.
Ontario public health counterparts have also stopped using AstraZeneca as a first dose vaccine, which they said was influenced by the increased number of adverse reactions being observed nationally.
Saskatchewan has administered approximately 72,000 AstraZeneca doses as part of the vaccination plan to date. An estimated more than two million doses have been delivered across Canada.
Reported rates of similar adverse reactions to the AstraZeneca vaccine are being tracked internationally. Norway has reported one case per 26,500, with the Netherlands is at one case in 50,000. The United Kingdom has reported one case per 100,000 and Australia reported one in 127,300.
Saskatchewan public health has said that at this time, it is still planning to provide second vaccine doses to match the brand received as a first dose, as research is still ongoing to determine the safety and efficacy of mixing brands.
Policies may be updated as new information about vaccine mixing emerges, said officials.
Adverse reactions to immunization of any type can range from minor side effects like local pain or swelling to more severe reactions.
All severe reactions to vaccination are currently being reported and used to monitor the safety of vaccines
Residents who experience any severe or unusual reactions following a COVID-19 vaccination are encouraged to report it to 811, and for serious reactions such as difficulty breathing to call 911.
