Canada has allowed vaccinations with different vaccines
People who received the first dose can now get a second dose with a different drug.
The decline in COVID-19 activity in Canada continues to decline. Over the past week, the average daily number of infections remained below 2,700 — a figure 70% lower than it was at the peak of the third wave of the pandemic.
The Government stresses that it is now particularly important to continue immunizing the population. Thanks to the increased supply of drugs, people are able to receive both the first dose of vaccine and the second one.
Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has updated its vaccine use guidelines again. It allows first and second vaccinations to be given with different products:
- Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are considered interchangeable if a person cannot get a second dose of the first vaccine;
- in the absence of an indication, people who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca or COVISHIELD may receive a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna.
NACI assures that this use of vaccines is safe. Regulatory authorities in Canada continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of approved drugs in the country.
