New Brunswick Public Heath is reporting adverse events in three people who all received the influenza vaccine from one specific batch.
Adverse events are reported when certain groups of symptoms occur within a certain time after a vaccine was administered. Further investigation is required to determine any causal link to the vaccine, says a department of health press release.
The batch in question consisted of 85,000 doses of the flu vaccine. As a precaution, providers with remaining inventory of this batch will not use it until the situation can be further investigated, says the release.
All doses from other batches will continue to be administered.
Dr. Cristin Muecke, deputy chief medical officer of health says, “the risk of experiencing a severe adverse event remains extremely low and anyone who received a flu vaccine more than 10 days ago without an adverse reaction should not be concerned.”
The release says the adverse events were reported in three adults who received the vaccine between Oct. 2-20. The neurologic symptoms, which included sustained numbness or weakness of the face and/or limbs, occurred within seven days of receiving the vaccine.
The province uses an electronic health record system which made it possible for Public Health to identify the specific batch of influenza vaccine related to the three reports.
New Brunswick public health officials have advised their federal counterparts, and shared the information with other jurisdictions. They say they have not yet heard any reports of similar adverse events related to this specific batch of flu vaccine.
“The neurological nature and the severity of these adverse events from the affected batch are unusual for New Brunswick and we need some time to determine if they are linked to the vaccine,” said Muecke in the release. “In the last three years, we have had only one serious adverse event following influenza immunization reported.”
To date, New Brunswick has received over 420,000 doses of influenza vaccine, which represents a 26 per cent increase compared to last year.
“If you experience new onset of neurologic symptoms, seek advice from your health-care provider and let them know if you have received the flu vaccine in the last 10 days,” said Muecke.
