Ontario Premier Doug Ford receives second shot of AstraZeneca vaccine
Ontario Premier Doug Ford received his second dose of AstraZeneca on Thursday afternoon at a pharmacy in Etobicoke.
The premier thanked front-line health-care workers as he received his second jab to applause from people out of view of the camera.
“I want to thank all the front-line health-care workers. I want to thank all the Ontarians that came out to get vaccinated,” he said after getting the shot. “If you haven’t received your first vaccination, please, please go out and get your vaccination and if you have yours, please go out and get your second dose as soon as possible.”
Ford received his first dose on April 9.
About a week ago, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended that anyone who received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine receive a second dose of an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, due to rare instances of blood clots associated with the shot.
The recommendation sparked confusion and frustration among Ontario residents who received AstraZeneca, despite the fact that health experts and NACI have maintained that anyone who receives both doses will still receive “good protection against infection and very good protection against severe disease and hospitalization.”
Ontario stopped administering first doses of AstraZeneca in early May “out of an abundance of caution” due to an increase in reports of rare blood clots. At the time, officials said the risk of vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) associated with the vaccine in Ontario is one in 60,000
The remaining supply of the vaccine was reserved for second doses. Officials have said there is much less risk of VITT following a second shot.
Health Minister Christine Elliott told CP24 on Thursday that while her first dose was AstraZeneca, she received Pfizer as her second shot a few days ago.
“I did have AstraZeneca first and then I spoke with my doctor about what was best for me and my medical condition, so then I made a decision on my second dose and I got Pfizer as my second dose,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.