Key takeaways:
- People are leaving pharmacies after learning that they will be receiving the Moderna vaccine rather than the Pfizer vaccine as Ontario rolls out COVID-19 booster shots.
- Bates advises Ontarians to avoid shopping for vaccines and instead get any vaccine booster as soon as possible.
After learning that they will be receiving the Moderna vaccine rather than the Pfizer vaccine as Ontario rolls out COVID-19 booster shots, people are leaving pharmacies.
The Ontario Pharmacists Association’s CEO, Justin Bates, says he’s heard from pharmacies that about half of people refuse to take Moderna.
“I believe pharmacists need to do a lot of outreach to other healthcare providers to show that (Moderna) is on par with Pfizer. It’s safe, it’s effective, and it’s simple. “On Friday, he told CTV News.
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According to Bates, the Moderna refusal is mostly due to Pfizer-vaccinated people being wary of mixing vaccine brands. Moderna was having supply issues in the spring of 2021 when most Canadians were beginning to get their first and second doses. Pfizer vaccinated the majority of people during that time.
“Most people don’t know who makes the flu vaccine brand when they get it. As a result, we became fixated on these names rather than realizing that an mRNA vaccine is an mRNA vaccine, “Bates remarked.
Pharmacies have also prioritized Pfizer shots for those under 30 years of age. Although the Moderna booster was approved by Health Canada for all adults aged 18 and up, NACI only recommends it for those aged 30 and up. According to NACI, the Pfizer booster reduces myocarditis, a rare side effect of mRNA vaccines that causes heart inflammation, in younger people.
“We want to make sure we follow those guidelines,” Bates said, “so we’re shifting most of the supply in the pharmacy channel to Moderna over the next two weeks.”
Bates advises Ontarians to avoid shopping for vaccines and instead get any vaccine booster as soon as possible.
“Getting a vaccine now, rather than waiting or shopping for a vaccine, is much more effective at providing the best and most complete immunity against Omicron,” he said. “We keep telling people to ignore the brands and get the vaccine that is available to them when it is available.
