Niagara doctor says advice on preferred vaccines flies in the face of what we are trying to do
By Shelby Knox
Some of Niagara's notable doctors are reacting to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's advice on 'preferred' vaccines.
Niagara Health's Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship and Pandemic Preparedness Lead Dr. Karim Ali says the NACI notion that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferable 'flies in the face of what we have been trying to do and achieve.'
He states he disagrees with the assessment and worries it will worsen vaccine hesitancy.
Ali says every day they see people waiting for a supposed 'better' option and instead encourages everyone to take the first shot available to them.
Yesterday NACI suggested Canadians weigh the risks of waiting for a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over accepting an AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, with a key consideration being the ability to work from home.
The later two vaccines have been linked to extremely rare blood-clots that have only been reported in 7 Canadians compared to the 1.7 million doses administered in the country.
The estimated risk of the blood clotting syndrome is believed to be anywhere from 1 in 100,000 doses to 1 in 250,000.
As of April 23rd, only 17 blood clots have been linked to the Johnson & Johnson doses administered in the United States. Over 8 million people have received the shot State-side.
Will say it again. Get the first shot available to you.
— Dr. Karim “ Stay Home Save Lives”Ali (@NHBugBusterDoc) May 4, 2021