Ontario clinic accidentally gives people six doses of COVID-19 vaccine in one shot
A 75-year-old man is among multiple people in Ontario who say they were accidentally given the equivalent of six doses of the COVID-19 vaccine while getting their booster shot.
CTV News Toronto has spoken with multiple people who received their booster shot at the Schomberg Medical Clinic near Newmarket on Jan. 8 and were affected by the vaccine mix-up.
A 28-year-old woman and her husband, who asked not be identified, are among those who were notified about the dosage error a few hours after they got their shot.
She said they were told by the receptionist that the doctor didn’t dilute the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, meaning they had received six times the proper dose.
According to health officials, each Pfizer COVID-19 vial contains 0.25 mL of product, which saline is added to and is enough vaccine for six doses.
In this case, the vaccine was not diluted and people were given the full vial.
"We were kind of freaked out," she told CTV News Toronto. "Then we started feeling really crappy that night. The whole next couple of days we had a really bad fever, chills, and body aches. We were knocked out for a couple of days."
She said she contacted her family doctor, who told her she had never heard of this issue occurring before. They were told by their doctor to monitor for any unusual symptoms over the next several months.
The clinic sent her an incident report, which CTV News Toronto has viewed. It doesn't include much detail, except to say she received an "undiluted dose."
"The doctor should have never messed that up," she said, adding that she has concerns about potential long-term effects.
She said she was told by reception at the clinic that more than 20 people received an undiluted dose that day.
CTV News Toronto attempted to contact the doctor who administered the shots but did not receive a response. The clinic's voicemail says Jan. 8 was the first day they administered COVID-19 vaccines.
The daughter of the 75-year-old man who also received the undiluted dose said her dad was left "very lethargic and confused."
"He had no appetite. He wasn't eating for about two days," the woman, who also preferred not be identified, said.
She said her dad was taken to his family doctor to be checked.
"My dad luckily was okay. He had his blood checked, his heart rate checked. We did everything that public health told us to do, including contacting poison control."
She said they also filed a complaint with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
"You know, you make a mistake, you make a mistake, but to do it multiple times? This is people's health involved."
CTV News Toronto also spoke with a mother whose teenage son was given an undiluted dose.
York Region Public Health said in a statement they have been notified of the error at Schomberg Medical Centre.
"We know this type of incident can cause anxiety for many people," Patrick Casey, Director of Corporate Communications, said. "Rest assured COVID-19 vaccines are safe and administration errors are extremely rare."
Casey did not specify how many people received an incorrect dose.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.