Confidence in AstraZeneca as pharmacies join rollout

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/03/2021 (2011 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Exchange District Pharmacy staff doled out their first 20 or so doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning, as Manitoba’s immunization rollout continued.

Ryan Chan, the McDermot Avenue pharmacy owner, said its appointments were fully booked Tuesday, and expects Wednesday slots to be full, too.

“It’s good to start vaccinating people. It’s the first step to getting back to the new normal, it’s the first step of getting back to reopening society,” said Chan.

As of mid-day Tuesday, Manitoba had administered 109,875 total COVID-19 vaccines, including the Pfizer and Moderna shots.

Meanwhile, the province doesn’t foresee issues with pharmacies and clinics issuing the AstraZeneca vaccine, after the Anglo-Swedish firm’s shot was temporarily suspended for use in more than a dozen European countries over perceived safety fears.

Countries including Germany, France and Italy suspended the shot amid reports of blood clots in recipients — about 30 people of the approximately five million European Union residents who’ve received an AstraZeneca dose.

The World Health Organization, European Medicines Agency and Health Canada have tried to quell fears over the shot’s safety.

Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said Tuesday there’s no indication the vaccine is causing adverse effects and its benefits outweigh potential risks.

The WHO said its advisory panel was reviewing reports and would release its findings as soon as possible, saying it was unlikely to change its recommendations issued last month.

The EMA said it’s conducting a case-by-case evaluation of reported incidents and plans to release a review this week, but has not yet found evidence connecting the clots to the shot.

A Manitoba vaccine task force spokesman said all pharmacies and clinics were involved in discussions about the rollout of the AstraZeneca doses, and willingly agreed to participate.

“A total of 18,000 doses of AstraZeneca/Covishield vaccine have been distributed to 190 clinics/pharmacies throughout all regions of Manitoba,” the spokesman said in an email.

The province first received those 18,000 doses March 11.

The spokesman did not respond when the Free Press asked when those discussions with clinics and pharmacies occurred, and whether the vaccination task force plans to revisit them after the shot’s use had been temporarily suspended in some countries.

“However, if a pharmacy/clinic has questions they are encouraged to reach out to their contact within the vaccination implementation task force,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman noted all doses administered in pharmacies and medical clinics are to be reported to the Public Health information management system.

Doctors Manitoba said its physicians continue to have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine, in line with the WHO and Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidelines.

Pharmacists Manitoba said none of its members have contacted the organization about concerns over the vaccine or potential side-effects.

— with files from Reuters, The Canadian Press

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca