Ontario Accelerates Second Doses Of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 900 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

The Ontario government announced Saturday that starting Monday, June 14th, it is accelerating the second dose interval for individuals who received their first dose of an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to eight weeks, with informed consent, from 12 weeks.

“With informed consent, individuals can choose between the second dose of AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine, at an eight to 12-week interval, recognizing that while waiting 12 weeks helps to ultimately provide more protection, some may choose to receive their second dose sooner to have the increased protection provided by a second dose earlier,” a news release read.

All of these options provide protection against COVID-19, including the Delta variant, and have been deemed safe.

“This decision is based on emerging clinical evidence about the administration of two doses of different vaccines, as supported by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Evidence from multiple studies indicates that mixing of COVID-19 vaccines (receiving an mRNA vaccine after an AstraZeneca vaccine) at dosing intervals between eight and 12 weeks is safe and demonstrates a beneficial immune response. There is evidence that a longer interval between two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine (such as a 12-week interval) provides higher protection,” the release read.