A bottle with some of the first 500,000 of the two million doses of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine (COVID-19) that Canada provided through an agreement with the Serum Institute of India in partnership with Verity Pharma in a unit in Milton, Ontario, Canada March 3, 2021. REUTERS / Carlos Osorio
Canada on Saturday reported a second case of rare blood clots with low platelets after immunization with the AstraZeneca (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine in one week, while saying it still recommends using the shot.
The person who experienced the event was rarely treated and is recovering, the Canadian Ministry of Health said in a statement, adding that the person lives in the province of Alberta.
Based on the available evidence, Canada further claims that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the potential risks, the statement said.
The Canadian health authorities “will continue to closely monitor the use of all COVID-19 vaccines and to examine and assess any new safety concerns,” the statement said.
Canada reported a first blood clot associated with the vaccine on Tuesday, and a day later, after a review, health officials said they would not restrict the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Read more
Earlier, a separate advisory board recommended that Canada no longer offer the vaccine to people under 55. That panel is reviewing its advice.
Canada has stepped up its vaccination campaign, but still has a smaller percentage of its population inoculated than dozens of other countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Amid a third wave of infections, Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, announced new public health restrictions on Friday, including closing provincial borders for domestic travel. Read more
Our standards: Thomson Reuters’ principles of trust.