SIX PEOPLE NEAR TORONTO GET SALINE INSTEAD OF VACCINE

Six people at an immunization clinic in Ontario were mistakenly injected with saline solution instead of the Pfizer vaccine. A statement from Mackenzie Health on Monday said the incident happened on March 28 at its COVID-19 vaccine clinic located at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital north of Toronto. Saline solution, which is just salt and water, is used to dilute the COVID-19 vaccine prior to use, and although Mackenzie Health said a saline injection does not cause any harm, it “should not have happened.” The affected individuals were contacted and offered support after the clinic’s “internal assurance process” led to the issue being identified in a “timely manner.” The individuals were also tested for antibodies to identify who needed to be reinjected with the vaccine. “We sincerely apologize for the error and for the uncertainty and concern this situation has caused,” Mackenzie Health said. A similar case of saline accidentally being injected instead of a COVID-19 vaccine happened recently at a Walgreens store in North Carolina.