Some people unhappy after SHA reallocates AstraZeneca to Regina mass vaccination sites

A few people who had vaccine appointments in Regina are frustrated over a change in the vaccine they were getting Friday.

In the afternoon, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced it was reallocating the AstraZeneca vaccine out of the COVID-19 drive-through clinic at Evraz Place to the mass vaccination sites at the University of Regina and International Trade Centre.

The SHA replaced AstraZeneca at the drive-through with Pfizer and made it available to people aged 53 and 54. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine only be used on those aged 55 and up.

“The decision to provide Pfizer in the Regina drive-through for those under age 55 and AstraZeneca at the mass immunization sites for anyone 55 and over utilizes the vaccine allotments in the most effective manner,” the SHA said in a news release.

But people who went for appointments in the morning expecting to get the Pfizer vaccine claimed they weren’t aware of the change to the vaccine they were getting.

Jason Powell’s 63-year-old mom was set to get her shot Friday because she is immunocompromised. But when she got there, she was told the AstraZeneca shot wasn’t recommended for use on her.

“She showed up today and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, we can’t give you that one,’ and it was kind of weird they didn’t call her ahead of time since they obviously had her medical information,” Powell said.

“The clinic that she was at was the Evraz Place one so they probably could have just gotten the Pfizer one.”

She had to call and reschedule for another appointment because of the change.

“I consider it frustrating because they’re immune-compromised and they need to show up in person before you tell them that they can’t get the vaccine you have available there? They don’t tell you on the phone beforehand which vaccine you’re getting,” said Powell.

Joanne Vonau was angry the health authority switched which vaccine she was getting without telling her.

“If anybody wanted an AstraZeneca, they could have lined up within the last three weeks to get one. People that didn’t want one were then signing up for the Pfizer,” Vonau said.

“Did we have a choice? No. Did we have a choice before? Yes, we could have went through the drive-through for AstraZeneca or we could have booked the appointment to get the Pfizer.

“People are just stunned. They’re saying, ‘I came for the Pfizer.’ Did they take the AstraZeneca? From the ones I talked to, some did (and) some didn’t.”

Vonau says she elected to accept the AstraZeneca shot rather than wait however long it would take to get a Pfizer dose.

“(I did it) against my better judgment, but with all the variants we have going on out here, I went for it because I had no option,” the 64-year-old said. “If someone would have said, ‘In two weeks we’re going to give you Pfizer,’ then I would say for two more weeks, I’m going to be extremely safe and go on with my life. But I had no option. I had no option whatsoever.

“How can (the government) deem what you’re going to get?”

The SHA has said all vaccines have been approved for use by Health Canada and are considered safe.