Take first vaccine available, OPH urges, following WHO comments on mixing and matching

OTTAWA -

Ottawa Public Health is encouraging residents of Ottawa to take the first mRNA vaccine dose available to them when they go for their second shots.

The health unit posted a Twitter thread Tuesday afternoon after comments from the World Health Organization regarding mixing and matching vaccines by different manufacturers.

"Kindly note those comments were made in the context of possible booster shots being explored in some parts of the world, and not in context of Canada’s current vaccine rollout," OPH said.

The WHO’s Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said Monday that there is little data on mixing and matching vaccines and that it could be a “chaotic” situation if “citizens start deciding” to mix and match and take third or fourth doses.

In a statement to CTVNews.ca, the WHO said that Swaminathan’s remarks were targeted towards individuals.

“At our global press conference on COVID 19, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan explained that individuals should not decide for themselves, public health agencies can, based on available data. Data from mix and match studies of different vaccines are awaited - immunogenicity and safety both need to be evaluated,” the statement said.

Health Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization approved the current guidance in Canada, OPH noted.

"The decision to allow interchangeable mRNA 2nd doses … was made based on studies from the UK, Spain & Germany that have found that mixing vaccines is safe and produces a strong immune response," the health unit said.

OPH said waiting for a preferred shot puts individuals and the community at risk of COVID-19.

"The safer option: get the first mRNA vaccine available to you for your 2nd dose," OPH said.

Still, some people are still refusing a dose of the Moderna vaccine as their second shot if they received Pfizer as their first. An Ottawa pharmacist told CTV News Ottawa recently that he feared 100 doses could expire by the end of the month because of refusals. At a clinic in Brampton, Ont., dozens of people walked away from the lineup when they learned Moderna doses would be offered.

OPH ended its thread commiserating about communication during a pandemic.

"We know the ever-evolving flow of info is frustrating, even unsettling at times. We hear you," OPH said. The goal hasn't changed, though: get everyone fully vaccinated ASAP so we can all get back to doing what we love."

As of Monday, more than 749,000 residents of Ottawa had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 498,000 had two.

--With files from CTVNews.ca's Brooke Taylor.