Nova Scotia to resume use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as second dose only
Nova Scotians who received their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine will now be able to book their second dose.
In a news release on Tuesday, the province says the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will resume for second doses only effective immediately.
"I am pleased we are able to provide some certainty for Nova Scotians who have been waiting on a decision regarding their second dose," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health.
The province says the decision comes after the National Advisory Committee on Immunization updated its guidance on the interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines approved for use by Health Canada.
Any Nova Scotians who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine can now receive a second dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna. Nova Scotians who received a first dose of Pfizer or Moderna can now choose a second dose of either Pfizer of Moderna vaccines.
"As part of the province's plan to reduce the second-dose interval, anyone who received a first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine will receive a notice by email to reschedule their second dose appointment," wrote the province in a news release on Tuesday.
According to health officials, Nova Scotia has about 2,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that is set to expire at the end of June. Public health says, if the current supply is used and there is a need for more AstraZeneca vaccine, the province will request more from the federal government.
In total, about 58,000 Nova Scotians received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The province says the decision to pause the use of AstraZeneca in Nova Scotia was made on May 12, based on an abundance of caution due to an observed increase in the rare blood clotting condition linked to this vaccine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.