(File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / casanowe)(File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / casanowe)
London

Saline solution mistakenly given at St. Thomas vaccination clinic

Officials with the health unit for Elgin and Oxford counties say up to six people were accidentally given saline solution instead of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Southwestern Public Health says a dispensing error led to the mix up. It says the six people who may have been injected with saline represent about 2 per cent of the visitors to the clinic that day. None of the six were children under the age of 11.

"Southwestern Public Health is committed to following advice from Public Health Ontario to identify and contact the individuals who may have received the saline and will work with those affected on a resolution," it said in a statement released Tuesday. "We acknowledge the stress this will cause individuals vaccinated on November 30 at the St. Thomas clinic. Please be assured that this matter was identified quickly and is an isolated incident."

Saline solution, a mix of water and salt, is not harmful to humans.

Southwestern Public Health says it is taking steps to make sure this type of mistake doesn't happen again.

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