The Ontario government abruptly paused distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine with little to no explanation. This lack of communication confused many who received the vaccine as their first dose and has contributed to unnecessary vaccine hesitancy.
Canada authorized the AstraZeneca vaccine for use on Feb. 26. After months of controversy surrounding eligibility, Ontario ended the vaccine’s rollout of first doses on May 11 due to an increased risk of rare blood-clotting. Other provinces soon followed, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
However, the Ontario government did not advise those who had already received the vaccine on what to do. Nor did Ontario assure those who had the vaccine that they were safe.
Data suggests the rate of major blood clots following an AstraZeneca dose is less than eight in one million—amounting to significantly less than one per cent of risk per dose. Although unfortunate, this is much lower than the rate of blood clots associated with COVID-19. One peer-reviewed academic study published in November 2020 found 21 per cent of people who got COVID-19 and 31 per cent of ICU COVID-19 patients experienced blood-clotting.
Hesitancy towards AstraZeneca does not help us end the pandemic. In fact, hesitancy and a lack of vaccine literacy leads to a decline in vaccinations and prolongs the pandemic.
Ontarians who had already received the vaccine were left wondering how they would receive a second dose until May 21, when the Ontario government finally announced anyone who received their first dose of AstraZeneca would also receive it as their second. Health officials then explained the risk of side effects is very low after receiving the second dose.
The time it took to come to this conclusion, however, fed even more hesitancy.
Over the course of this pandemic, scientific advice has been contradictory and confusing. In March of 2020, Canadians were told not to wear a mask until guidelines changed in June to match scientific evidence which showed masks did work in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
It has been confusing going back and forth between what does and does not work. Once again, vaccine evidence is changing, and we are adapting. However, abrupt changes to public health policy without explanation from health officials feed ongoing conspiracy and misinformation going around about COVID-19 vaccines.
When people are ill-informed and left to decide what scientific advice they trust, an array of differing opinions and beliefs start to form.
One extreme theory denounced on multiple occasions by health care professionals is vaccine shedding. The theory suggests vaccines cause women to become infertile and experience menstrual irregularities.
A butcher shop owner in Ontario posted on Instagram that he does not want vaccinated people in his store to “protect female customers.”
A simple Google search will show the claims of COVID-19 vaccines shedding are false and are actually biologically impossible. Public health officials are not communicating clearly enough if these easily-contradicted theories are spreading.
News deserves context. None was given when the government decided to pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The pause fed into false narratives surrounding vaccines. In addition to misinformation people see on social media, they also witnessed yet another change in the Ontario government’s advice.
Pausing the vaccine rollout added to the vaccine hesitancy already widespread in Canada—only 76.9 per cent of Canadians actually said they were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. It amplified the voices of those who view the pause as evidence to their outlandish claims.
Much of the news about AstraZeneca discussed solely the rare blood clots associated with the vaccine. This fed cognitive bias that this pause was another reason not to get vaccinated.
Flawed communication from provincial officials and poorly contextualized news coverage made it feel like we, as citizens, do not have solid information. Our government must do better to ensure people are well-informed.
Although Canada is on its path back to normal life, the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout has been nothing but a disaster thanks to mainstream news and the provincial government. If we want this pandemic to end, the government needs to give ample context to their decisions, especially with such contentious issues.
Featured image provided by AstraZeneca.
