Only Moderna vaccines available at Ottawa clinics this week due to delayed Pfizer delivery
Ottawa adults 18 and older will receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Ottawa's community clinics this week, due to a delay in the Pfizer shipment.
The Ontario government told CTV News Ottawa Saturday evening that this week's shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines will be delayed by two to three days.
"We have a large supply of Moderna doses which will be used to supplement the delayed Pfizer doses," said a statement from a spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott.
Ottawa's Pfizer shipment was scheduled to arrive on Monday.
"To ensure that vaccine appointments are honoured at immunization clinics over the coming week, the city and Ottawa Public Health will administer the Moderna mRNA vaccine as it is interchangeable with Pfizer," said a statement from the city of Ottawa Sunday evening.
Beginning Sunday, individuals 18 and older who have an appointment booked at one of the city-run immunization clinics will receive a Moderna vaccine. The city says there will be "no opportunity" to request or switch to another type of vaccine.
"Interchanging vaccines is safe and effective. The priority is to receive two doses of a vaccine to complete the series and be fully protected," said the city.
The Pfizer vaccines still in Ottawa's freezers will be reserved for youths 12 to 17. Pfizer is the only COVID-19 vaccine approved in Canada for youth aged 12 to 17.
The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Health Unit announced Sunday that as a result of the delivery delay, any youth aged 12 to 17 that have a clinic appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday will be contacted by staff and rebooked to another clinic later in the week.
The director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Board told CTV News at Six you shouldn't worry about mixing vaccines.
"It's absolutely safe and it’s absolutely effective, and it’s critical to get these doses," said Dr. Peter Juni.
Juni said he received the results of a preliminary analysis on the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday.
"Moderna is at least as effective against the delta variant as Pfizer. This is absolutely OK, forget about any concerns - it’s safe, it’s effective, go for it."
TAKE THE FIRST DOSE AVAILABLE, OPH SAYS
Ottawa Public Health is encouraging residents to take the first COVID-19 vaccine available for your second dose to provide earlier two-dose protection.
Last week, the health unit noted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization updated it recommendation on the interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines used in Canada.
"This means that you could receive one vaccine for your first dose and a different vaccine for your second dose to complete your COVID-19 vaccine series," said a statement from Ottawa Public Health.
"Interchanging vaccines is safe and effective and is not a new practice. Similar vaccines from different manufacturers are used when vaccine supply or public health programs change. Different vaccine products have been used to complete a vaccine series for influenza, hepatitis A, and others."
Ottawa Public Health adds, "Moderna and Pfizer have very similar effectiveness and side effects."
NEW COMMUNITY CLINICS OPENING
On Monday, Ottawa is opening five new community clinics as more COVID-19 vaccines arrive.
On Friday, the city announced an additional 25,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and a "strategic allotment" of 33,500 Moderna doses were being sent to Ottawa. The federal government is expected to receive nine million doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of June.
The five new COVID-19 community clinics are:
- Canadian Tire Centre – 1000 Palladium Drive
- University of Ottawa – Minto Sports Complex – King Edward Avenue
- Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park
- Canterbury Recreation Complex – 2185 Arch Street
- Nepean Sportsplex – Curling Rink – 1701 Woodroffe Avenue
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.