'I can't be the only one': N.S. man calls for access to non-mRNA boosters after rare adverse reaction
Jeff Ferguson still has the scars left behind after suffering a severe case of cutaneous vasculitis late last summer.
Symptoms of the inflammation of the small blood vessels appeared around 10 days after his second COVID-19 vaccination last July.
“First shot of Pfizer, I had maybe seven spots on my right leg. Second shot of Pfizer, I ended up getting 30 spots on my left leg,” said Ferguson.
According to Ferguson, those spots spread, and got worse. They were itchy, painful, and developed into sores.
He went to the doctor, which is where things got serious.
“He sent me directly to emergency because my heart was racing. They found out I had vasculitis, and my heart was at 154 with fluid in my lungs,” he said.
Ferguson was admitted immediately and spent nine days in hospital.
“I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t wear shoes,” he said. “It was very painful. You couldn’t let your legs touch together. It felt like someone was driving needles into your ankles.”
Cutaneous vasculitis is included on a list of reported adverse events of special interest by the Public Health Agency of Canada, with 32 incidents potentially related to COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of Jan. 14.
That means the incidence is extremely rare, considering there are almost 14.6 million eligible Canadians with third doses so far.
“There are lots of things that can trigger vasculitis,” says Dr. Kerri Purdy, a dermatologist and division head of Dalhousie University’s Division of Clinical Dermatology.
Purdy says she's never seen it in her practice after a COVID-19 vaccination, and that sometimes the exact cause of the disorder is unknown.
However, she adds, it is possible.
“We do know that infections and medications are very common triggers, and so it would stand to reason that a vaccination could also trigger it, as could a COVID infection,” she said.
Purdy says while there have been documented cases of cutaneous vasculitis in COVID-19 patients, she stresses that a connection to COVID-19 immunizations is not definitive at this point.
There is also data that shows the vaccines are effective protection against serious outcomes and hospitalization due to COVID-19.
However, Ferguson says having the reaction so soon after his vaccination is more than coincidence.
“It had to be; there was no other outside influence,” Ferguson says.
Ferguson says it took six weeks to physically get back on his feet again. He says he feels fine now, although he is on eight new medications.
Even after his experience, Ferguson still wants his booster to help protect himself against COVID-19.
“I work in the service industry in Halifax. I’m around a lot more people than most, so a booster would be perfect,” said Ferguson.
But there’s a catch.
While many Maritimers are rolling up their sleeves for another dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, Ferguson says he’s been told by health professionals that he can’t get boosted with an mRNA vaccine because of what happened. Currently, those vaccines are the only ones approved for a third dose in Canada.
“Every time you turn around, you know, you look at the TV, (it) says, ‘Get your booster.' The news stations, ‘Get your booster.' The newspaper, 'Get your booster,' and I can’t get one because they don’t have a non-mRNA one,” Ferguson said.
When asked, the province of Nova Scotia says it recognizes some people can't take mRNA vaccines and it's working on a solution.
“We are working with our partners to find a solution for people who can only receive a viral vector vaccine as a booster dose,” says a statement provided by Marla MacInnis, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Wellness. “As more information becomes available, it will be publicly communicated.”
CTV Atlantic asked Health Canada where the process stands in approving any viral vector vaccine as a booster. The department responded with an email statement late Wednesday afternoon.
"Health Canada is currently reviewing data on their safety and efficacy when given as a booster. As with all COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, Health Canada is prioritizing the reviews.
As these reviews are all still ongoing, it is not possible to predict when any regulatory decision will be made," the statement reads.
The statement continues with a reminder that Health Canada does not make vaccine recommendations for individual patients, which is up to health professionals
Meanwhile, Ferguson says he's sharing his experience, not to discourage vaccination, but to make sure boosters are available to everyone who needs them -- even people who’ve had rare adverse reactions.
When asked if he’s worried some might use his experience as an argument against vaccination, he says that’s not the point.
“It doesn’t even concern me, really. It’s my body and I can do with my body what I like, just like they can do with theirs,” said Ferguson.
He says he still believes in the science behind the COVID-19 vaccines and the protection they provide against the virus.
“It's proven that they actually work,” he says. “It's science, so it does work.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
BREAKING Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are moving on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.