Canada's first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine has been approved

Mar 5 2021, 3:17 pm

Canada’s first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine has been approved.

In a Friday news release shared with Daily Hive, Health Canada has announced the Janssen Inc. vaccine has been approved after a “thorough, independent review of the evidence,” the department determined the vaccine meets Canada’s “stringent safety, efficacy, and quality” requirements.

The vaccine can be stored at refrigerated temperatures from 2ºC to 8ºC for at least three months, making for easy distribution across the country.

The viral-vector-based vaccine is authorized for use in all people over the age of 18.

“Health Canada will continue to monitor the safety of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine once it is in use, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the provinces and territories and the manufacturer,” says the federal health agency. “The Department will monitor for any adverse events that may develop after immunization, and will take appropriate action, if required, to protect the health and safety of Canadians.”

The Janssen vaccine, the fourth to be approved in Canada, was 66% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease beginning two weeks after vaccination, says Health Canada.

The vaccine’s side effects are similar to what you might have with other vaccines and Health Canada says the found side effects were “mild or moderate.” Side effects include pain at the site of the injection, body chills, feeling tired, and feeling feverish.

“These are common side effects of vaccines and do not pose a risk to health,” says the agency.

The Janssen vaccine joins the following other authorized products for use across Canada: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.

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