Ontario responds after WHO calls mixing COVID-19 vaccines 'dangerous trend'
The Ontario government has issued a statement after the World Health Organization’s chief scientist called mixing COVID-19 vaccines a "dangerous trend."
The World Health Organization's Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday that she advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers.
The comments were made by Swaminathan while she was discussing booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during an online briefing.
"It's a little bit of a dangerous trend here. We are in a data-free, evidence-free zone as far as mix and match," Swaminathan said.
"It will be a chaotic situation in countries if citizens start deciding when and who will be taking a second, a third and a fourth dose."
In a statement to CTV News Toronto on Monday, Carly Luis, the director of communications for Health Minister Christine Elliott, said Ontario will continue mixing vaccine doses.
"Ontario continues to follow the advice of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), which recommends that it is safe to mix vaccines based on studies from the UK, Spain and Germany that have found that mixing vaccines is safe and produces a strong immune response," Luis said.
"The health and safety of Ontarians remains our top priority, and we will continue to monitor the data working with NACI and the federal government."
Ontario has been mixing COVID-19 vaccines for several weeks, allowing mRNA vaccines to be given interchangeably. Those who received AstraZeneca as a first dose are also able to take an mRNA as their second dose.
NACI says mixing brands of approved vaccines is safe and effective.
In a tweet following Monday’s online briefing, Swaminathan said that "individuals should not decide for themselves" to mix vaccine doses, but that "public health agencies can, based on available data."
"Data from mix and match studies of different vaccines are awaited - immunogenicity and safety both need to be evaluated."
In a Ministry of Health document provided to health-care workers in June, the Ontario government said there is "no reason to believe" that mixing COVID-19 would result in any addition safety issues or reduction in protection.
With files from Reuters.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Canadian convicted of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.
Israeli military finds bodies of 3 Gaza hostages killed at music festival
Israeli military says its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk.