Ottawa: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) in Canada has declared its updated advisory to allow mixing and matching of approved COVID-19 vaccines in most scenarios.
According to the updated guidance, those who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine may take Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna jab for their second dose, unless contraindicated. Four vaccines, developed by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, are authorised for use in Canada to date, Xinhua reported.
The new guidance says the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be mixed for first and second doses.
However, it is not recommending AstraZeneca after a first shot of Pfizer or Moderna due to safety concerns and limited data on the use of this combination.
“NACI has worked to quickly adapt this guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada to ensure optimal protection of Canadians at pace with the ever-changing circumstances during this pandemic,” Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam was quoted as saying at a press conference on Tuesday.
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