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6 people injected with saline instead of COVID-19 vaccine in Niagara

Niagara health officials say six people were injected with saline diluent instead of a COVID-19 vaccine last month.
The error happened at the Niagara Region Public Health clinic in Port Colborne on June 16.
In a news release issued Tuesday, the region says the discovery was made during the end-of-day audit when it was identified that six extra doses were administered which were not accounted for in the number of prepared vials at the clinic.
“With one additional vial of saline diluent used as compared to vaccine vials, this suggested that diluent was administered to some clients without mixing it with the vaccine. A proactive in-depth review followed to investigate, identify, and follow-up with those affected,” officials said.
There are no anticipated health effects from receiving the saline diluent only. However, health officials warn the saline diluent does not protect individuals against COVID-19.
Public Health is currently contacting 205 other individuals who had an appointment on that day to book a “repeat vaccination.”
Officials say some of those people will be receiving a third dose of the vaccine. They say a third dose of vaccine is safe, though it does not provide significant benefit.
“We deeply regret this error, and want to reassure the public that immediate corrective measures have been taken,” public health says. “This includes additional checks in our processes to catch such errors, additional training of staff, and new documentation to track doses from the freezer to the client.”