EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — After Health Canada recommended earlier Monday that the country pause use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine for those under 55 years old, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the province will follow that recommendation.
Hinshaw says the move comes as concerns have been raised about blood clots in people in Europe.
“In a very small number of people who received the vaccine, a blood clot in the brain was reported four to twenty days after the vaccine,” Hinshaw said.
Alberta’s top doctor says there is no evidence of this happening in Alberta or anywhere else in Canada.
WATCH: Dr. Deena Hinshaw provides an update on COVID-19 in Alberta
Hinshaw adds these cases are rare circumstances and no other vaccine is an issue.
This pause will allow Health Canada to conduct more research. The agency says it has not received any reports of blood clots in Canada to date. Hinshaw says these are rare events and says the AZ vaccine still reduces the risk of hospitalization and death.
Hinshaw assures those 900 or so people in Alberta under the age of 55 who received the AstraZeneca vaccine that they are not considered to be at risk of blood clots.
“They should monitor their health and seek immediate medical attention if they experience health concerns.”
As said time and time again, Hinshaw reinforced the fact that the benefits of getting the vaccine far outweigh the small potential risks.
The AstraZeneca shot will continue to be offered to those 55 and older once more become available in the province.
Looking to Monday’s COVID-19 numbers update, the province identified 545 new cases of COVID-19, including 249 new variant cases.
Hospitalizations rose slightly to 288, with 64 people now in the ICU.
No new deaths were reported on Monday.
As Alberta adds 249 new variant cases, Dr. Hinshaw confirms that the variants in Alberta have an r-value of 1.35.
As for vaccines, beginning Tuesday phase 2B of the vaccine rollout is set to begin, with Albertans born in or before 1963 with eligible underlying conditions able to book appointments.
Starting April 5, Alberta Health Services (AHS) will start taking bookings for people eligible in Phase 2B born in or before 1959.
By the end of Phase 2B, all Albertans born in 2005 or earlier (ages 16 and up) with high-risk health conditions will be able to receive the vaccine.
To date, roughly 608,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed in the province.
NEW:
Alberta announces that phase 2B of vaccines begins tomorrow.
TORONTO – Restaurant Brands International Inc. reported net income of US$357 million for its third quarter, down from US$364 million in the same quarter last year.
The company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says its profit amounted to 79 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with 79 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the parent company of Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, totalled US$2.29 billion, up from US$1.84 billion in the same quarter last year.
Consolidated comparable sales were up 0.3 per cent.
On an adjusted basis, Restaurant Brands says it earned 93 cents US per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 90 cents US per diluted share a year earlier.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 95 cents US per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Fortis Inc. reported a third-quarter profit of $420 million, up from $394 million in the same quarter last year.
The electric and gas utility says the profit amounted to 85 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from 81 cents per share a year earlier.
Fortis says the increase was driven by rate base growth across its utilities, and strong earnings in Arizona largely reflecting new customer rates at Tucson Electric Power.
Revenue in the quarter totalled $2.77 billion, up from $2.72 billion in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Fortis says it earned 85 cents per share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 84 cents per share in the third quarter of 2023.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 82 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
TORONTO – Thomson Reuters reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago as its revenue rose eight per cent.
The company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, says it earned US$301 million or 67 cents US per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30. The result compared with a profit of US$367 million or 80 cents US per diluted share in the same quarter a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled US$1.72 billion, up from US$1.59 billion a year earlier.
In its outlook, Thomson Reuters says it now expects organic revenue growth of 7.0 per cent for its full year, up from earlier expectations for growth of 6.5 per cent.
On an adjusted basis, Thomson Reuters says it earned 80 cents US per share in its latest quarter, down from an adjusted profit of 82 cents US per share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 76 cents US per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
