A York Clinic Reportedly Gave Multiple People 6 Doses' Worth Of A COVID-19 Vaccine

A clinic in York Region gave multiple people undiluted COVID-19 doses on January 8, and those impacted are complaining about side effects.

York Region Public Health confirmed to Narcity that due to an "administration error" at Schomberg Medical Centre, several people received "undiluted doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine," although they would not disclose how many people were given the incorrect dosages.

An unidentified woman toldCTV News Toronto that she and her husband received their booster shots at Schomberg Medical Centre on January 8 but things didn't go as planned. She said they were contacted a few hours later by a receptionist at the clinic and were informed that they were given an incorrect dosage.

The woman says the receptionist told her that they had received an entire undiluted vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which is equivalent to six regular doses, and that over 20 people had received an undiluted dose that day.

They were "kind of freaked out" and began feeling sick that night, she said.

"The whole next couple of days we had a really bad fever, chills, and body aches. We were knocked out for a couple of days."

The woman says she has worries about the long-term effects the incorrect dose may have. She also spoke to her family doctor, who had never heard of this happening before but told her to look out for any unusual symptoms over the coming months.

Another unidentified individual told CTV News that her 75-year-old father received the incorrect dosage and was "very lethargic and confused" afterward. The woman says she filed a complaint to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

"You know, you make a mistake, you make a mistake, but to do it multiple times? This is people's health involved," she said.

A CPSO spokesperson told Narcity they are aware "of media reports about the allegations" but that "under the Regulated Health Professions Act, the College is prohibited from confirming the existence of an investigation."

Narcity reached out to Schomberg Medical Centre for comment, and they deferred comment to York Region Public Health, who clarified that while the clinic in question is not run by them, they are aware of the incident.

"We know this type of incident can cause anxiety for many people; rest assured COVID-19 vaccines are safe and administration errors are extremely rare," said York Region Public Health.

Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.