NACI says you can mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccines

OTTAWA – Canada’s vaccine panel has updated its guidance on mixing different kinds of COVID-19 vaccines.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has given the go-ahead for people to take different vaccines for their first and second doses.

NACI’s updated guidance says a second shot of an mRNA vaccine, Moderna or Pfizer, can be the follow-up to a first dose of AstraZeneca.

However, it says that if you had an mRNA shot as your first dose, you should be given an mRNA as your second shot.

Previously, NACI guidance stated that mixing should only be an option between mRNA vaccines if the same first dose is unavailable.

NACI had been holding out on more research from around the world. Now, countries like the U.K. and Spain have found mixing and matching is indeed safe and effective.

Last week, the panel changed its guidance on when to give people their second dose. NACI says now that there’s a greater vaccine supply flowing into Canada, second shots should be given out as soon as possible.

Manitoba is the first province to allow vaccine mixing, with the province announcing Monday that any resident who received a first shot of AstraZeneca can get a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna.

Here is the full decision from NACI on mixing vaccine doses #cdnpoli https://t.co/8CNZTk0GbA

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) June 1, 2021

More than 21 million Canadians have at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but just over two million of those have been fully vaccinated.

Canada is set to receive 2.9 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this week thanks to an increase in planned deliveries from Pfizer.

Pfizer is increasing its deliveries to 2.4 million doses per week in June. The other 500,000 shots due to arrive this week will come from Moderna.