Northern Health expands revaccination program after discovering more improperly stored vaccines
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NORTHERN B.C.— Northern Health is recommending that around 1,575 should get reimmunized in Terrace, Stewart and surrounding First Nations communities between October 2022 and September 2023. This after the B.C. Centre for Disease Control discovered that multiple vaccine lots were stored at temperatures above the accepted range.
As a result, Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Jong Kim is recommending a total of approximately 2,000 people should be revaccinated – including the 425 people previously identified in December.
“Out of an abundance of caution, I have expanded my recommendation to ensure all those potentially affected have an opportunity to be reimmunized,” Dr. Kim said. “Immunization remains the best defense against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, and those who received vaccines from the affected lots may not have gotten the full benefit to their immune system.”
A wide range of vaccines were affected including ones that treat tetanus, polio, rabies, chickenpox and measles. The vaccines were administered at the Terrace Health, Terrace-area pharmacies, the Stewart Health Centre and clinics in Kitsumkalum, Kitselas, Iskut, Gitlaxt’amiks, Gitwinksihlkw, Gingolx, Laxgalts’ap, Gitanyow and Gitwangak. None of the COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines were affected.
