Alberta says Moderna, Pfizer vaccines 'interchangeable' amid shipment delay
Alberta is following the steps of Ontario and calling the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines "interchangeable" in the face of a two-to-three-day delay in the latter product.
The province is set to receive some 280,000 Pfizer doses the week of June 21, but Canada's shipment of 2.4 million shots from Pfizer and BioNTech isn't slated to arrive until mid-week.
Alberta Health Services is encouraging Albertans who want an earlier appointment to switch their vaccine preference to Moderna in the meantime.
"Both Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines and work in the same way. They are now considered to be interchangeable," it said in an announcement Sunday afternoon.
"If you book for Moderna, you will be able to get an earlier appointment thus complete your series."
More detailed information on the AHS website called it typical for people get booked for the same product as their first shot, but not essential. The vaccines work the same, are both about 94 to 95 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, and have similar side effects, the agency said.
"There is no reason to believe that a second dose with a different mRNA vaccine product would result in additional safety issues or deficiency in protection. Two doses of any of the COVID-19 vaccines available in Alberta is considered a complete, safe and protective vaccine series."
An Edmonton epidemiologist echoed this, noting the products' similar technology, efficacy, and side effect profiles.
"There's no reason to think that mixing and matching them is going to produce either less immune response or more side effects," Dr. Stephanie Smith told CTV News Edmonton.
"So I would say absolutely, it's important to get that second shot as soon as possible. And I would certainly have no concerns about getting a Moderna vaccine if you've initially had a Pfizer."
NATIONAL GUIDANCE
The recommendation is in line with advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, which said on Friday people who received a first dose of an mRNA vaccine should be offered the same for their second dose unless it is unavailable.
"If the same mRNA vaccine is not readily available or unknown, another mRNA vaccine can be considered interchangeable and should be offered to complete the vaccine series."
Ontario announced over the weekend it would use an influx of Moderna supply to "supplement the delayed Pfizer doses."
"Both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are authorized for use in Canada and use a similar mRNA technology, so the vaccines are interchangeable and safe to mix," a statement from its healthy ministry read.
Canada expects to receive 5.2 million doses in total this week from the two major vaccine suppliers. Of the 2.8 million doses of Moderna, more than 770,000 will land in Alberta.
Second doses have begun to outpace first doses in the province: On Saturday, more than 45,200 second doses and nearly 6,700 first doses were administered.
According to the latest data, 70.6 per cent of the population aged 12 and older have received at least one dose, while the portion of people fully immunized sits around 28.6 per cent.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa and Adam Lachacz
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.