But now, he uses a cane or walker to get around and takes several nerve pain medications to help manage Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) — a rare neurological disorder he developed after the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in early 2021. He tracks his recovery progress in part by counting how many small dance steps he can take in a row. “I lost a lot,” Caballero told CBC Toronto in Spanish as his daughter translated. “I just feel very trapped in what I can do now compared to what I could do before.” Toronto Public Health conducted an investigation, which found that Caballero developed GBS as a result of the vaccine. He advised him not to get another dose of the vaccine. GBS causes the body’s immune system to damage nerve cells resulting in pain, numbness and muscle weakness. Although rare, it can be linked to other vaccines, such as the flu shot. Seventy percent of people diagnosed with GBS make a full recovery, and less than 15 percent experience long-term weakness severe enough for a walking aid, according to the US government’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Caballero believes he qualifies for financial support through the federal government’s relatively new Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP). But he waited more than a year for his claim to be processed. He recently made the difficult decision to return to work to support his family. “We just can’t take it anymore. We really can’t,” Caballero says he told his wife at the time. Caballero is pictured in April 2021 after receiving the vaccine – his first and only vaccination against COVID-19. (Provided/Amalia Caballero) Caballero, who was a mechanical engineer in Colombia before moving to Toronto in 2004, now works maintenance and custodial work with limited mobility, pain in his legs and feet and numbness in his hands. He was hospitalized for more than a month, unable to work for a year, and had to rely on the money he was saving for retirement. “Any compensation I could get would help us get back to where we were before,” he said. “It’s very hard to work and not be able to stop.” The VISP program, which is designed to support people who are severely and permanently injured after receiving a vaccine approved by Health Canada on or after December 8, 2020. It began accepting applications on June 1, 2021. Since then, eight of the 774 applications received have been approved. These could include cases linked to vaccines other than those designed to protect against COVID-19. That number does not include applications from Quebec, which has its own program. Seventy-one of the claims were dismissed. That means 90 percent of claimants wait until they are collected, have their medical records reviewed, or have the review board decide.
The consultancy that operates VISP says several factors affect wait times
Caballero has provided all the information and records he can. His daughter Amalia says she has asked several times for updates, but is not given much information. “I’m very disappointed,” Amalia said of the wait and lack of response from the program. “I wish he didn’t have to work. I want him to take a breather, not worry so much about the family.” VISP is funded by the federal government and managed by an external consulting firm, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT). WATCHES | Fernando Caballero’s daughter gets emotional when she talks about her father:
Amalia Caballero says it’s hard to watch her dad struggle
Amalia Caballero says she wishes she could do more for her father after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. He’s back at work while he waits for his application to the Canadian Injury Vaccine Support Program to be approved. More than a year has passed. When asked about Caballero’s application, Edward Maier, project leader and senior affairs manager for the program, says the company cannot discuss individual cases for confidentiality reasons. He did not disclose the range of compensation given to applicants and such amounts are paid on a case-by-case basis. “All applications received vary in nature, complexity and several other factors that could affect the timeline for processing,” he said.
Adverse vaccine reactions are “extremely rare,” the doctor says
Of the more than 87 million doses of COVID vaccine administered in Canada, there have been 21 confirmed cases of GBS linked to them as of June 24, according to Health Canada. Four of those cases were in Ontario, according to Public Health Ontario. There were 32 additional reports in the province, but there was not enough evidence to qualify as confirmed cases when using Brighton Partnership diagnostic certainty level, which is used around the world to help determine cases of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, according to Public Health Ontario. Caballero spent more than a month in hospital after showing signs of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. (Provided/Amalia Caballero) As of June 24, 9,878 serious adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines had been reported across Canada, amounting to 0.011 per cent of all doses administered, according to Health Canada. A case is considered serious if it is life-threatening, requires inpatient or prolonged hospitalization, results in significant disability, birth defect, or death. Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Halifax who leads the Immunization Specialist Clinic Network with the Canadian Immunization Research Network, says serious adverse events to vaccines are “extremely rare.” “We are monitoring the safety of the COVID vaccines very closely, and these vaccines have been shown to be very safe,” he said. Top, whose research focuses on vaccine safety surveillance and adverse events, says GBS is most closely related to the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for COVID-19, which Canada has moved away from using . He says the rate of GBS development is two to three cases in every one million people who get these vaccines. It also says that you are more likely to get GBS from COVID-19 than from a vaccine. “In one study, [the rate] it was closer to about 14 cases per million, so several times higher if you get COVID than if you get one of those shots,” he said. Health Canada says that when cases that don’t have enough information to confirm a diagnosis are removed, the number of GBS cases that people in Canada develop after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is no higher than would normally be expected in the general population .
“Hopefully I can get back to my old self”
Within two weeks of receiving the vaccine, Caballero began experiencing debilitating back pain and fell down a flight of stairs after losing control of his legs. He visited the hospital and was sent home, but the pain worsened and he continued to fall. Eventually, he was diagnosed with GBS. While some make a full recovery, others do not and can become paralyzed in the most severe cases. Caballero says he has to pace himself at work and relies on the help of his colleagues. “I’m very tired after work and I’m in pain,” he said. Caballero is diligently following the rehabilitation exercises. Now she struggles more with balance on one leg, but hopes to one day be able to dance again. (Sabah Rahman/CBC) Caballero still supports vaccinations. Toronto Public Health advised him to talk to experts about whether he can make an mRNA vaccine, such as those produced by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. He says that while he fears another adverse reaction, he’s open to getting an mRNA shot if a doctor deems it safe, but he hasn’t been able to get a clear answer. Caballero says doctors have told him they don’t expect his condition to improve much more, but he’s diligent with his rehabilitation exercises and hopes to one day be able to skate again — even with the help of his walker. There are so many things we take for granted,” he said. “I hope I can get back to my old self, but I know it’s a very long process and sometimes it’s not perfect.”
title: “Toronto Senior Diagnosed With Rare Disorder After Last Summer S Covid Vaccine Still Awaiting Compensation " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-08” author: “Brent Pruitt”
But now, he uses a cane or walker to get around and takes several nerve pain medications to help manage Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) — a rare neurological disorder he developed after the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in early 2021. He tracks his recovery progress in part by counting how many small dance steps he can take in a row. “I lost a lot,” Caballero told CBC Toronto in Spanish as his daughter translated. “I just feel very trapped in what I can do now compared to what I could do before.” Toronto Public Health conducted an investigation, which found that Caballero developed GBS as a result of the vaccine. He advised him not to get another dose of the vaccine. GBS causes the body’s immune system to damage nerve cells resulting in pain, numbness and muscle weakness. Although rare, it can be linked to other vaccines, such as the flu shot. Seventy percent of people diagnosed with GBS make a full recovery, and less than 15 percent experience long-term weakness severe enough for a walking aid, according to the US government’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Caballero believes he qualifies for financial support through the federal government’s relatively new Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP). But he waited more than a year for his claim to be processed. He recently made the difficult decision to return to work to support his family. “We just can’t take it anymore. We really can’t,” Caballero says he told his wife at the time. Caballero is pictured in April 2021 after receiving the vaccine – his first and only vaccination against COVID-19. (Submitted by Amalia Caballero) Caballero, who was a mechanical engineer in Colombia before moving to Toronto in 2004, now works maintenance and custodial work with limited mobility, pain in his legs and feet and numbness in his hands. He was hospitalized for more than a month, unable to work for a year, and had to rely on the money he was saving for retirement. “Any compensation I could get would help us get back to where we were before,” he said. “It’s very hard to work and not be able to stop.” The VISP program, which is designed to support people who are severely and permanently injured after receiving a vaccine approved by Health Canada on or after December 8, 2020. It began accepting applications on June 1, 2021. Since then, eight of the 774 applications received have been approved. These could include cases linked to vaccines other than those designed to protect against COVID-19. That number does not include applications from Quebec, which has its own program. Seventy-one of the claims were dismissed. That means 90 percent of claimants wait until they are collected, have their medical records reviewed, or have the review board decide.
The consultancy that operates VISP says several factors affect wait times
Caballero has provided all the information and records he can. His daughter Amalia says she has asked several times for updates, but is not given much information. “I’m very disappointed,” Amalia said of the wait and lack of response from the program. “I wish he didn’t have to work. I want him to take a breather, not worry so much about the family.” VISP is funded by the federal government and managed by an external consulting firm, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT). WATCHES | Fernando Caballero’s daughter gets emotional when she talks about her father:
Amalia Caballero says it’s hard to watch her dad struggle
Amalia Caballero says she wishes she could do more for her father after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. He’s back at work while he waits for his application to the Canadian Injury Vaccine Support Program to be approved. More than a year has passed. When asked about Caballero’s application, Edward Maier, project leader and senior affairs manager for the program, says the company cannot discuss individual cases for confidentiality reasons. He did not disclose the range of compensation given to applicants and such amounts are paid on a case-by-case basis. “All applications received vary in nature, complexity and several other factors that could affect the timeline for processing,” he said.
Adverse vaccine reactions are “extremely rare,” the doctor says
Of the more than 87 million doses of COVID vaccine administered in Canada, there have been 21 confirmed cases of GBS linked to them as of June 24, according to Health Canada. Four of those cases were in Ontario, according to Public Health Ontario. There were 32 additional reports in the province, but there was not enough evidence to qualify as confirmed cases when using Brighton Partnership diagnostic certainty level, which is used around the world to help determine cases of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, according to Public Health Ontario. Caballero spent more than a month in hospital after showing signs of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. (Submitted by Amalia Caballero) As of June 24, 9,878 serious adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines had been reported across Canada, amounting to 0.011 per cent of all doses administered, according to Health Canada. A case is considered serious if it is life-threatening, requires inpatient or prolonged hospitalization, results in significant disability, birth defect, or death. Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Halifax who leads the Immunization Specialist Clinic Network with the Canadian Immunization Research Network, says serious adverse events to vaccines are “extremely rare.” “We are monitoring the safety of the COVID vaccines very closely, and these vaccines have been shown to be very safe,” he said. Top, whose research focuses on vaccine safety surveillance and adverse events, says GBS is most closely related to the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for COVID-19, which Canada has moved away from using . He says the rate of GBS development is two to three cases in every one million people who get these vaccines. It also says that you are more likely to get GBS from COVID-19 than from a vaccine. “In one study, [the rate] it was closer to about 14 cases per million, so several times higher if you get COVID than if you get one of those shots,” he said. Health Canada says that when cases that don’t have enough information to confirm a diagnosis are removed, the number of GBS cases that people in Canada develop after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is no higher than would normally be expected in the general population .
“Hopefully I can get back to my old self”
Within two weeks of receiving the vaccine, Caballero began experiencing debilitating back pain and fell down a flight of stairs after losing control of his legs. He visited the hospital and was sent home, but the pain worsened and he continued to fall. Eventually, he was diagnosed with GBS. While some make a full recovery, others do not and can become paralyzed in the most severe cases. Caballero says he has to pace himself at work and relies on the help of his colleagues. “I’m very tired after work and I’m in pain,” he said. Caballero is diligently following the rehabilitation exercises. Now she struggles more with balance on one leg, but hopes to one day be able to dance again. (Sabah Rahman/CBC) Caballero still supports vaccinations. Toronto Public Health advised him to talk to experts about whether he can make an mRNA vaccine, such as those produced by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. He says that while he fears another adverse reaction, he’s open to getting an mRNA shot if a doctor deems it safe, but he hasn’t been able to get a clear answer. Caballero says doctors have told him they don’t expect his condition to improve much more, but he’s diligent with his rehabilitation exercises and hopes to one day be able to skate again — even with the help of his walker. There are so many things we take for granted,” he said. “I hope I can get back to my old self, but I know it’s a very long process and sometimes it’s not perfect.”
