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'I knew I was in trouble': Blairmore man facing health concerns after receiving premature COVID-19 booster shot

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LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

A southern Alberta man is raising concerns about the COVID-19 booster shot after receiving it before he was eligible, and spending a week in hospital with serious health concerns.

Rodney McAllister says he felt great before receiving his third shot in September, but now the Blairmore man is questioning his long-term health.

"You're always thinking that tomorrow you'll feel better. When my heart was racing I was concerned, but I'm always thinking, it's only been a week, it's only been two weeks," said McAlister.

"By the third week I'm really starting to worry at that point, and then it was roughly around the third week that the profuse sweating just came on spontaneously, and I knew I was in trouble."

The 56-year-old went into his local Blairmore IDA Pharmacy on September 10th, the same place he received his first two doses of Moderna, and inquired about the booster shot.

He says the pharmacist told him he was eligible for a third dose, and so 12 weeks after his second shot, he got his third, on September 13th.

He says just hours later, he began to feel unwell – suffering anxiety, sweats, diarrhea and palpitations, and by October 5th, McAllister's family doctor sent him to the hospital for an electrocardiogram.

By October 29th, he was admitted to the Crowsnest Pass Health Centre where he would stay for six days before being discharged.

IDA Pharmacy in Blairmore, Alta., Nov. 12, 2021

"It was a frightening experience and even now, it's the not knowing. Who knows in six months what's going to happen from now," McAllister told CTV News.

"I do believe If I hadn't have gone to emergency on Friday October 29th, I may not be here today."

DIAGNOSED WITH ENDOCARDITIS

A normal white blood cell count is between 4,000 and 11,000 per microliter of blood.

According to medical records, McAllister had a white blood cell count of more than 20,000 and he was diagnosed with endocarditis, which is inflammation of the inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves.

A representative for the pharmacy told CTV News they are looking into the situation, but said there was no evidence that indicated McAllister's medical issues were related to the third dose.

His hospital records note there’s no way to know for sure whether the booster is related to his condition, but the doctor wrote McAllister “was not eligible and should not have received his third dose.”

“I trusted my pharmacist, I've been dealing with them for years. A person assumes they know what they're doing,” said McAllister.

 In Alberta, third doses are only available to those 75 year old and up, as well as First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people 18 and up, but they must wait at least five to six months after receiving their second dose or sooner for those who are immunocompromised or work in health care.

Anyone who received at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is also eligible and in that case, the wait time is just two months.

The Alberta College of Pharmacy and Alberta Health Services both told CTV there were no major differences in side effects among first, second and third doses of any COVID-19 vaccine.

For now, McAllister is taking things day by day.

"I'm still very fatigued, very tired, I think it's going to be a bit of a battle getting back to where I was," he said.

"I was running three to five kilometres a day, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I'm a very healthy individual."

The Alberta College of Pharmacy says it has received a complaint filed by McAllister.

According to the most recent data from Alberta Health as of November 11th, there have been 1,959 adverse events reported following a COVID-19 immunization.

As of November 11th, 6,686,587 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province.

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