Pharmacies warn of expiring Moderna doses as pace of vaccination slows
There was a steady flow of traffic walking in and out of the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Ottawa City Hall on Sunday, with residents leaving fully vaccinated.
“I got the Pfizer,” said 15-year-old Kira, who is now fully dosed and excited for the school year.
“I got my second dose of Moderna here at city hall,” confirmed Brendan. “It felt good to finally get it.”
Ahead of the weekend, Ottawa Public Health reported that 84 per cent of Ottawa residents 12 and older have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 71 per cent are fully immunized.
While OPH says community clinics do not have any vaccines at risk of expiration, it's a different story in Ontario pharmacies.
Across the province, vials of Moderna continue to sit unused. Ontario pharmacists are warning that the supply could go to waste if people don't show up and get a jab by the end of the week.
“When you puncture a vial, you only have 12 hours to use the 14 doses,” said Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association. “If someone cancels or doesn’t show up you’re in that short window to use the full 14 doses. A number of not used will have to be disposed because they will reach their overall expiration date.”
The Pharmacists Association says a slowdown in Ontario's vaccine rollout and the public's preference for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have made it harder for pharmacies to use up their Moderna doses
"I heard it's okay to mix but I just don't want to," said Carlos Cuoto, who got his second dose on Sunday. He was intent on getting the same dose as before.
"I plan on travelling and my understanding is not every country recognizes mixing doses. They want to see you have proof you got two doses that were the same, so I got Pfizer," he said.
The Ontario Pharmacists Association says they are advocating for the federal government to have a universal definition for what "fully vaccinated" really means, having full confidence it will eventually be accepted by other countries.
“The evidence continues to show mixing is very effective,” said Bates. “I don't think people should fear long-term being denied access to places because of mixing.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.