Wednesday, December 31, 2025
    ADVT 
    National

    Health Canada to add warning on AstraZeneca

    Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Mar, 2021 05:48 PM
    • Health Canada to add warning on AstraZeneca

    Health Canada is in the process of adding a warning about a rare possible side-effect of blood clots from the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine but is still certain the vaccine is safe and effective against COVID-19.

    The department's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma says the warning comes on the heels of a similar warning in Europe last week but doesn't change Health Canada's analysis that the vaccine's benefits outweigh its risks.

    The European Medicines Agency last week amended its authorization of the vaccine to say there is not an overall increase in the risk of blood clots after getting the vaccine.

    However the EMA and Health Canada are still analyzing data to see if there is a reason the vaccine may have caused a very small number of blood clots in the vein that drains blood from the brain.

    Sharma says the warning in Canada would centre on what to look for, including intense or persistent headaches, shortness of breath and pain in the legs.

    Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Canada's vaccination program is moving much faster than before but warns there has been a 15 per cent rise in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the last week.

    Prev Next

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.

    Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.
    Data from the coroners service show overdose deaths began increasing in B.C. just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, when 113 people died, up from 73 in February.

    Overdose deaths drop in August from July in B.C.

    Five highlights from the throne speech

    Five highlights from the throne speech
    Aiming to make Canada a world leader in clean technology, the Liberals promise a new fund to attract investments in making zero-emissions products. The government will also cut the corporate tax rate in half for these companies.

    Five highlights from the throne speech

    Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp

    Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp
    Today, the Liberals' throne speech promised to extend the subsidies to summer 2021, acknowledging the economic situation facing many employers is still fraught.

    Liberals vow wage-subsidy extension, EI revamp

    Time to greenlight rapid COVID-19 tests: experts

    Time to greenlight rapid COVID-19 tests: experts
    Canadians across the country are finding it harder to get tested for COVID-19, as demand soars and the capacity to swab people and test those swabs in labs is maxed out.

    Time to greenlight rapid COVID-19 tests: experts

    Airbnb portal gives local governments more control

    Airbnb portal gives local governments more control
    Vancouver and Calgary are among the 10 North American cities included in the new portal, which Airbnb says will also aid in rebuilding post-pandemic tourism and providing technical support.

    Airbnb portal gives local governments more control

    Horgan wants stability not political uncertainty

    Horgan wants stability not political uncertainty
    The NDP reached an agreement to govern with the Green party after the 2017 election, but Horgan says the deal started showing signs of instability in the legislature this summer.

    Horgan wants stability not political uncertainty

    PrevNext