Vaccine mixing likely as Pfizer supply low

Residents of Windsor and Essex County with appointments for their second COVID-19 vaccine later this week will likely receive a different brand of jab from their first shot.

With a larger supply of the Moderna vaccine on hand than of Pfizer-biontech, the local health unit on Monday announced that those with appointments scheduled for Wednesday and later will likely receive Moderna no matter what vaccine brand they received first.

“Based on the interchangeability of the vaccines and our current vaccine supply, we cannot guarantee a specific MRNA vaccine,” said health unit CEO Theresa Marentette on Monday. “Locally, our shipment of Pfizer has been delayed, and as such, we are closely monitoring our supply and will be providing Moderna as the primary vaccine at upcoming clinics.

“We are no longer in a position to match vaccines for first and second doses.”

“We will run out of Pfizer.”

The health unit is reserving enough doses of the Pfizer-biontech vaccine to inoculate youth age 12 to 17 who have already booked vaccine appointments.

So far, Pfizer-biontech is the only vaccine approved by Health Canada for use on those under 18 years of age. However, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said he expects the federal body will announce whether or not Moderna can be administered to youth in the next week or two.

“We are now at a critical junction to ensure that our residents are

We are now at a critical junction to ensure that our residents are fully vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine.

fully vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine,” Ahmed said. “Delays in vaccination could result in ongoing COVID -19 transmission and can set our region back with high COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 outbreaks.”

Health Canada has approved the mixing of COVID-19 vaccines. Guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization supports using MRNA vaccines interchangeably, and using MRNA vaccines as second doses for people who receive a viral vector vaccine — Astrazeneca — for their first shot.

Ahmed urged local residents not to “hesitate to receive the MRNA vaccine that's available” to them, adding that both Moderna and Pfizer-biontech are “equally safe and equally good in protecting you from the COVID-19 virus and do not put you at any disadvantage.”

Astrazeneca recipients who opt to switch to an MRNA vaccine for their second inoculation will be given the Moderna vaccine, Marentette said.

Anyone with a first dose of Astrazeneca can book an appointment for a second vaccine dose at an eight-week interval.

Eligibility for second doses of MRNA vaccines opened up on Saturday to anyone who received their first shot on or before May 9. Vaccines for first and second doses are available at mass vaccination clinics through wevax.ca, as well as at select pharmacies and primary care provider offices.

So far, 73.4 per cent of local adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 32.4 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated.