Residents of First Nation in Ontario given expired Pfizer vaccine for nearly a month
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is reporting that residents of the Saugeen First Nation in Ontario were given expired doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for nearly a month before the error was caught.
According to ISC, 71 people were given the expired doses. They were administered to residents between Aug. 13, 2021 and Sept. 9 2021.
The ISC was informed of the error on Sept. 15, and immediately launched an internal review into what caused the situation.
Since then individuals who have received expired doses have been contacted or attempted to be contacted.
Several groups were contacted for guidance including the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit and Pfizer.
The expired doses do not pose any health risks to those who have taken them but according to the ISC they have been informed that anyone who was given an expired dose will need to be revaccinated.
Following a review of the situation Saugeen First Nation (SFN) issued an update as to how the error may have occurred.
In a memo sent out to residents SFN COVID-19 Coordinator Tara Campbell made the following conclusions:
- A vaccine shipment from public health was received on July 13, 2021. The expiration date on the vials said October 2021.
- An expiration date is only valid if the vials remain frozen
- When the vaccine is thawed and stored in a cool but not frozen state it is only good for 31 days
- SFN says that the ISC stored this shipment in a thawed state meaning it was set to expire on Aug. 9 not October.
- The expiration date was adjusted on the box but not on the vials as replacing vial dates was not ISC protocol
- Those administering the doses were checking the vial dates rather than the date on the box
- SFN, including COVID-19 response staff, were not responsible for the handling of the vaccines
Officials say it is important to note that taking an expired vaccine is not harmful, but it can mean that those who were given one are not fully protected from the virus.
Asked about the issue during a briefing on Friday, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said she was not aware of the specific situation, but the vaccine program that 's being delivered is very complex and checkpoints are needed.
She is calling for an examination of the incident to try to prevent similar situations in the future.
"I do know that in such a massive undertaking there could be challenges and issues that will come up. So I think that the most genuine way of tackling the issues, having had this identified, is for the various key leadership and people trying to deliver the program to sit down together and understand what actually happened and find a path forward. "
When it comes to vaccine status those who were given the expired shots are not considered fully vaccinated.
The Saugeen First Nation has a population of just under 2,000 people and is in the Bruce Peninsula region.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
LGBTQ2S+ rallies to be held across Canada, billed as largest since marriage equality
Organizations across the country are gearing up for what they describe as the largest LGBTQ2S+ mobilization since the push for marriage equality.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.