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10 people injected with expired COVID-19 vaccine at Burnaby pharmacy

Save-On-Foods says it has taken steps to prevent it from happening again and contacted the affected customers
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Save-On-Foods confirmed 10 people at a pharmacy location in Burnaby were vaccinated Monday using doses that expired April 2. (Black Press files)

Questions about the efficacy of expired COVID-19 vaccines are being raised after several British Columbians were given AstraZeneca-Oxford doses that had expired days prior.

In a statement emailed to Black Press Media, Save-On-Foods confirmed 10 people at a pharmacy location in Burnaby were vaccinated Monday using doses that expired April 2.

“As soon as we discovered the error, we immediately began contacting the impacted clients and making the appropriate disclosures and reports to the professional bodies,” said a company spokesperson.

Save-On-Foods acknowledged the customers’ concerns about whether or not the doses they received will prevent them from contracting COVID-19.

“We have contacted the medical health officer and followed their guidance on how to continue vaccination of these customers so they are protected.”

READ MORE: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine begins arriving in B.C.

RELATED: Dr. Henry says Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe despite reports of blood clots

Last week, the province announced it would be enlisting 150 pharmacies in the Lower Mainland to administer more than 46,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

For some pharmacies, their vaccine appointments were all booked within hours of taking registrations.

The mishap remains an isolated incident, according to the company, which said it has taken steps to prevent expired vaccinations from being administered.

According to Health Canada, “the expiration date is not printed on the vial and carton labels. Health-care professionals must verify the expiration date prior to vaccination.”



sarah.grochowski@bpdigital.ca

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