Ontario shortens AstraZeneca dose interval to eight weeks
Ontarians who received their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be able to get their second dose after eight weeks with informed consent.
The province made the announcement Saturday afternoon. In a news release, the Ministry of Health said the change was made in consultation with the chief medical officer of health and other health experts, including the Ontario Science Advisory Table.
"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)," the ministry said.
"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."
Starting on Monday at 8 a.m., those who got their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be eligible to book their second dose appointment at an interval of eight weeks and can choose between the same shot or an mRNA vaccine – Pfizer or Moderna.
The province said residents who want an mRNA vaccine for a second dose can book their appointment through the provincial booking system, while those who wish to receive the AstraZeneca shot for their second dose should contact the place where they got their first jab.
The change comes following calls from public health experts and local politicians to shorten the 12-week dosage interval, allowing more people to be fully vaccinated, especially due to the emergence of the B.1.617.2 variant, also known as the Delta variant.
Studies in other jurisdictions show that having two doses provide better protection against the more infectious variant first discovered in India.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert and member of the province's vaccine task force, said the provincial government made a smart decision in accelerating second doses for people who had AstraZeneca first dose.
"This really enables people to get that second dose in a reasonable time to protect themselves from this Delta variant," he said in an interview with CP24.
"This is the right move."
When asked about informed consent, Bogoch believes the province just wants people to have a talk with a health-care provider before they decide to get their second vaccine at eight weeks.
"I don't think people will really require any form of documentation," he said.
"I don't want to put words in the mouths of the province, but I think many individuals are informed they know exactly what they're doing. We have a very health literate population, especially throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, as people have been following the news extremely closely."
Bogoch said the changes announced Saturday would allow more people in the province to be fully immunized, which will help mitigate the impact of the variant.
"We'll just continue to watch COVID-19 rates crumble in the province. We'll be able to reopen in a safe manner, and we'll slowly return to what we remember as we were in the pre-COVID-19 times. We're not there yet, but we're well on that path."
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, one of the local officials who pushed for a shorter dose interval, said in a statement that it is great news for essential workers.
“Residents will now have the choice to be fully immunized sooner so they have better protection against variants,” Brown said. “We need to crush COVID-19.”
Toronto Mayor John Tory also thanked the Ford government for listening to the advice from health experts and “making this change that will lead to more people getting fully vaccinated much earlier.”
“This is good news for tens of thousands of Toronto residents who did the right thing and got their first doses of AstraZeneca as soon as they were eligible earlier this year,” Tory said.
The co-chair of the science table said Thursday that while the Delta variant will soon become dominant in the province, its spread can be controlled and avoid a fourth wave surge as long as second doses are accelerated in hot spot neighbourhoods dealing with variant cases.
"This is not a doomsday scenario. We believe that if we are able to really continue a high-risk community-focused vaccination strategy and do that really quickly and expeditiously, we have a good chance of controlling the Delta variant and actually a really good chance at a good summer," said Dr. Adalsteinn Brown.
Earlier this week, the province expanded the eligibility for second doses in Delta hot spot regions. People living in those seven areas, which include Toronto, Peel Region, and York Region, who received their first mRNA dose on or before May 9 will be able to book their second dose starting on Monday, June 14.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.