Pfizer vaccines again available at Ottawa community clinics

Health-care worker Thi Nguyen administers Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at a COVID-19 clinic in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -

Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are now available at Ottawa's 11 community vaccination clinics, now that a delayed Pfizer shipment has arrived.

The city also confirms a "relatively small number of residents" declined to receive the Moderna vaccine because they wanted a Pfizer shot for their second dose.

On Sunday, the city of Ottawa announced only Moderna COVID-19 vaccines would be available for adults 18 and older due to the delayed shipment of Pfizer doses to Canada.

The Ontario government confirmed the Pfizer shipment would be delayed two or three days this week, but no reason was given. The remaining Pfizer vaccines in Ottawa's freezers were reserved for residents 12 to 17, since it's the only vaccine approved for youth in Canada.

The weekly shipment of 53,820 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has now arrived in Ottawa, and both doses are now available for residents.

"The city currently has both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available at our community clinics," said a statement from Anthony Di Monte, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services.

"Residents can now book last-minute, same-day COVID-19 vaccinations at community clinics in Ottawa through the COVID-19 vaccine wait list. This tool helps residents receive a vaccine more quickly, and also helps the clinics operate more efficiently by enabling them to administer all of the vaccines prepared for use each day."

Di Monte said last week that the city would attempt to have both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available at Ottawa clinics, however the flood of Moderna doses arriving in Ottawa meant some residents would have to make an informed consent decision to interchange vaccines to receive the second dose as quickly as possible.

VACCINE SHOPPING?

Ottawa Public Health encourages residents to take the first COVID-19 vaccine available for your second dose to provide earlier two-dose protection.

Di Monte confirms to CTV News Ottawa that a "relatively small number of residents" have declined to receive the vaccine available at community clinics this week.

"While we are currently offering both Pfizer and Moderna at our community clinics, given fluctuations in our vaccine supply, we cannot guarantee a particular vaccine type for adults 18 years and older," said Di Monte Thursday afternoon.

"Ottawa Public Health continues to work with health and community partners as well as residents to increase vaccine confidence. Interchanging vaccines is safe and effective."