Sask. moves to mixed vaccines for second doses of COVID vaccinations

If you received AstraZeneca for your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in Saskatchewan, you can now receive an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) for your second dose.

In a release, the provincial government says it is following the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) guidelines on the interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines.

The province has said around 73,000 people got AstraZeneca as a first dose, but it has only 20,000 doses on hand to give as second shots. That has created some concern about what they would get as a second shot.

Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, said during a media conference Tuesday if people who got AstraZeneca as a first dose want to get it as a second shot, it should be widely available. But if they choose not to get that vaccine and want to get Pfizer or Moderna instead, Shahab said that is “a perfectly safe and effective alternative.”

“(The government’s decision) makes completion of the second-dose schedule, irrespective of what your first dose was, very easy in Saskatchewan and that’s the main point,” Shahab said.

The province says if you received an mRNA vaccine as a first dose, you should be offered the same brand for your second dose.

It says if the same mRNA vaccine is not readily available, another mRNA vaccine can be considered interchangeable and should be offered so a second dose is completed.

The province anticipates having an adequate supply of all vaccine types in order to provide people with the second dose they prefer.

AstraZeneca second dose availability

AstraZeneca second dose availability begins next Monday.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will establish clinics for second doses of AstraZeneca to anyone who is eligible, according to the provincial age eligibility and date of first dose.

Based on when your age category or date of first dose becomes eligible, you may be receiving the second dose of your AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as eight weeks after your first dose.

This includes people under 40 who received AstraZeneca as their first dose.

The province says once you are eligible to receive your second dose, you remain eligible and may want to consider delaying until the recommended 12-week interval is reached.

“The optimum protection is at 12 weeks, but any time after eight weeks, people can choose to get the vaccine,” Shahab said. “If they want to wait until 12 weeks, that’s optimum, but if they want a second dose of AstraZeneca, they can get it at any time after eight weeks.”

The province said vaccine choice will be dependent on those vaccines that are available at the time you make your appointment.

Second dose booking moves to 65+

Beginning Wednesday, second-dose booking eligibility will move to 65 and older, moved up from the projected date of June 7.

People who received their first dose on or before March 22 will also become eligible.

All residents aged 50 and over in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District are also eligible as soon as they meet the product monograph for their first dose vaccine.

For Moderna, this is 28 days from the first dose and for Pfizer it is 21 days.

People diagnosed with or being treated for cancer and those who have received solid organ transplants will receive a letter of eligibility in the mail that will allow them priority access to a second dose.

Eligibility to book a second dose is based on your age or the date of your first dose.

Second dose vaccinations can be booked through the SHA online or by calling 1-833-727-5829.

You can also call your pharmacy. To see which pharmacies are offering second-dose COVID vaccines, click here.