TORONTO – The Moderna vaccine will be available almost exclusively in Toronto and the Peel Region for at least a week. This was confirmed over the weekend by local health authorities while stressing that the vaccine in question is substantially interchangeable with Pfizer: it is in fact an mRNA vaccine, unlike AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson, the other two vaccines approved by Health Canada. Heterologous vaccination, as the vaccine mix is technically called, has so far affected in Ontario those who have received the first dose of AstraZeneca and who in recent weeks are taking Pfizer or Moderna as their second dose.

According to what was announced today, there will be delays in deliveries by Pfizer. In particular, a supply of about 162,000 doses scheduled for this week will be postponed sine side. The few remaining doses of Pfizer – the health authorities pointed out – will instead be used for the immunization campaign of children from 12 to 17 years old: Pfizer is in fact the only vaccine approved in Canada for minors.

Ultimately, those who booked the appointment for the second dose this week – and perhaps even next week, but there is still no official confirmation – will receive modern, regardless of the type of vaccine received previously. 

“With the Delta variant growing at an exponential rate in Toronto, vaccines are one of our key strategies to slow transmission,” said Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health. “Both Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are interchangeable, equally effective and safe for everyone over 18 years. If you have an appointment, keep it. If you don’t have an appointment for a first or second dose, make one as soon as you are eligible.”

“This Pfizer shipment delay provides us an opportunity to remind our community of the clear science around interchangeability,” said Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel’s Medical Officer of Health. “I urge all residents to access two-dose protection in any approved combination as quickly as possible to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community.”

Loh added that as far as the entire Peel Region is concerned, all clinics will administer the Moderna instead of Pfizer at least until June 24, then the changes will eventually depend on the restoration of Pfizer’s supplies.

In any case, in Canada, looking at the numbers, it is in a good position regarding the roadmap drawn up by the federal government and its provincial counterparts on the vaccination front. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confirmed that by the end of July about 68 million doses of the Covid vaccine will have arrived in our country, a sufficient number for the full vaccination of all Canadians aged 12 and over. In addition to this, Pfizer and Moderna supplies will continue to be constant in the coming weeks as well, despite unexpected delays such as the one that will be there in the coming days.

Currently, about 75% of Canada’s adult population has already received the first dose of vaccine, while about 20% have also had the second dose and can be considered immunized against Covid-19.

In Toronto, the percentage of those who received the first dose is the same as that of the national population, while the figure for the second dose is as high as 25%.