Pharmacies prepare for 2nd doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
Four thousand doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have arrived at London Drugs pharmacies across B.C. this weekend. The plan is to start getting shots into arms by the end of this week.
“Anyone who received their first doses of AstraZeneca with London Drugs, we’ll start calling them on Monday to book for their second appointment,” says Chris Chiew, general manager of pharmacy for London Drugs.
Roughly 10,000 British Columbians received their first AstraZeneca shots at London Drugs. Chiew says the process went smoothly, with customers booking appointments and filling out consent forms online, which minimized the amount of time spent at the pharmacies.
Chiew expects the drug store chain will receive another 10,000 doses this time around. However, with AstraZeneca’s vaccine being linked to rare blood clots known as vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), some people have concerns.
Should they get AstraZeneca again? Or should they opt instead to get Pfizer or Moderna as their second dose?
Those are the questions Ajit Johal, pharmacist and clinical director with the Immunize.io Health Association is often asked.
As for the answer, Johal says it comes down to personal preference and comfort. He points out the risk of developing the rare blood clots from AstraZeneca’s vaccine is even lower for the second dose.
“There’s more real-world evidence and more people who have gotten two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which includes a large portion of the United Kingdom, so if you have two doses of AstraZeneca, you know you’ve got very good protection against severe disease,” says Johal.
When it comes to mixing and matching, immunologists say there isn’t much evidence available yet. There are two studies currently underway in the United Kingdom and Spain, and early findings suggest following up an AstraZeneca shot with a Pfizer shot is safe. Still, one epidemiologist suggests people should stick with the same vaccine for both doses whenever possible.
“All of the clinical trials were done with two shots of the same vaccine,” says Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre. “That’s what we have the most information about in terms of how it’s tolerated, the efficacy rate and the like. So that should be the first choice.”
But, that may be easier said than done. While pharmacies are the exclusive administrator of AstraZeneca vaccines for second doses, not all pharmacies are choosing to participate. For example, CTV News Vancouver heard from a pharmacy in Delta that provided first doses, but is choosing not to provide second doses, due to staffing issues. That pharmacy’s owners said they know of seven other Metro Vancouver pharmacies opting out of administering second doses because of staff shortages as well. For some, it could spell difficulty booking a second AstraZeneca shot.
London Drugs is placing priority on people who booked first doses with them, but says it will open vaccinations to the general public if extra doses remain.
“If the first pharmacy you went to was not a London Drugs and is unable to help you, don’t hesitate to give us a call by mid-June or the end of June and we’ll see if you can help you out,” says Chiew.
Approximately 280,000 British Columbians received AstraZeneca as a first dose. What remains to be seen is how many people will choose it as their second.
“I support the decisions on both sides, and I applaud people for getting their second dose,” says Johal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.