Saskatchewan still recording no deaths related to COVID vaccine

COVID vaccinations rates may have slowed dramatically in Saskatchewan, but many are still rolling up their sleeves to receive a booster.

Since the start of the pandemic, and the introductions of COVID-19 vaccines in the province, more than 80 per cent of Saskatchewan residents over the age of 12 have received two doses. Approximately 45 per cent of the population has received at least three doses.

Vaccinations are given at health authority clinics and pharmacies, and all of those have a legal requirement to inform provincial medical health officers of any adverse reactions or deaths related to the vaccine. While rare, what’s called an “adverse event” following immunization (AEFI) can be any untoward medical occurrence that follows the needle going into the arm.

That reporting requirement is not just for the COVID vaccines, but for any immunization, from flu shots to standard childhood vaccines.

Those AEFI’s are posted publicly on the Government of Saskatchewan website.

As of Sept. 18, the Ministry of Health confirmed there have been no deaths due to COVID-19 immunizations reported in Saskatchewan.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also requires reports of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT)/thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), myocarditis/pericarditis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and capillary leak syndrome (CLS).

As of Sept. 18, Saskatchewan had reported three incidents of VITT/TTS and 33 of myocarditis/pericarditis. None of those incidents were fatal.

There haven’t been any cases of GBS or CLS reported.

The provincial ministry of health also said that since COVID vaccinations began in Saskatchewan in December of 2020, there have been eight reported deaths within 30 days of receiving a dose.

Investigations into four of those cases were inconclusive, three incidents were deemed not attributable to the vaccine, and one could not be determined as VITT.

To date, 2,576,526 doses of COVID vaccine have been administered in Saskatchewan.

This month, several posts on social media indicated a woman died minutes after receiving a booster shot at a pharmacy in Saskatoon.

In an emailed statement, the Ministry of Health confirmed public health was informed of this death, but it was not caused by the vaccine.

“The coroner’s service has investigated this instance and determined this person died from natural cases,” the ministry said.

Due to health privacy concerns, the Ministry of Health was “unable to comment on specifics beyond that.”

The ministry confirmed it will continue to investigate all AEFI reports.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an amended version of this story, correcting the type of shot the woman received. Social media had suggested the shot was the bivalent vaccine, but that wasn’t available until Sept. 19.