The father of a six-year-old claims his daughter may have been exposed to HIV during a routine vaccination because of a bizarre accident.
The girl’s father, who asked to remain anonymous, told a Canadian radio station the girl was at the Fort St. James Health Unit for a booster shot. When the nurse put the needle in his daughter's arm, he said, it went through the child's skin and pricked the nurse's arm. When the nurse drew the needle back through the child's arm, blood was exchanged, he said.
The father said he was told later the nurse was HIV positive. He said his daughter is now undergoing months of tests.
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Dr. Sandra Allison, chief medical health officer at the facility where the vaccination took place, did not confirm details but did say an internal investigation was launched.
"We expressed our deepest regrets and apologies to the family about this unfortunate incident,” Allison said. "All the measures that need to be taken are being put into place right now... Situations like this are extremely rare."
Allison did not say if the nurse was still working at the facility.
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