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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.