Big drop in demand for 2nd doses of AstraZeneca vaccines at B.C. pharmacies
Early last week, pharmacies in B.C. were administering around 6,000 second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine per day.
But that all changed when the National Advisory Commitee on Immunization (NACI) reversed course last Thursday and recommended that Canadians who got a first dose of AstraZeneca get an mRNA vaccine as their second dose.
In the four days since the NACI announcement, an average of 3,600 AstraZeneca doses have been administered in B.C., which represents a 40 per cent drop.
“In the beginning we had about 80 per cent saying ‘Yeah I got the AstraZeneca shot, I’m fine with it, I will do the second dose.’ And then after the announcement it was more like, ‘I got a text message from the government website, and I’m going to use the mass clinic and choose to choose to mix and match,’” said Stephanie Hahn, the district pharmacy manager for Sobey’s.
Across the Sobey’s chain, around 80 per cent of first dose AstraZeneca patients are now opting for Pfizer or Moderna, which is a complete reversal from before the NACI announcement. “This led to many people not showing up for their appointment or cancelling their appointment,” said Hahn.
At the Pure Integrated Pharmacy location in West Vancouver, 300 people got a first dose of AstraZeneca, and so far only 70 of them have opted for a second dose of AstraZeneca, even though they all received invitations for it.
“It’s not about what the recommendation is anymore, there are so many recommendations out there. It’s about the changing information. When there is changing information, people kind of lose faith,” said Maral Razai, the pharmacy manager.
Because every vial of AstraZeneca has ten vaccine doses, pharmacies have to be careful about how to schedule the few appointments they are booking.
“For instance today I was calling around to my stores saying how many do you have? Who is your neighbour store? Once you can get 10 patients together, please schedule them so we don’t waste,” Hahn said.
It’s unclear what will happen to doses that remain unused at pharmacies, or vials that have yet to be shipped out.
“If we got to this point then we didn’t know what to do with these vaccines that no one wanted, then there should be a redistribution procedure in place,” Razai said.
Hahn agrees, adding “I don’t think there is a pharmacist out there, in fact I know, that would want to waste even one dose.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.