Some Ontarians are refusing Moderna boosters, pharmacies say
CTV
As Ontario rolls out COVID-19 booster shots, some pharmacies are reporting that people are walking out after being informed that they would be receiving the Moderna vaccine rather than Pfizer's.
Justin Bates, who is the CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, says he's hearing from pharmacies that around half of people are refusing to take Moderna.
"I think there's a lot of education that pharmacists have to do in other health care providers to demonstrate that (Moderna) is equal to Pfizer. It's safe, it's effective," he told CTV News on Friday.
The Moderna refusal can be mostly attributed to Pfizer-vaccinated people hesitant about mixing vaccine brands, Bates says. In spring of 2021, when most Canadians were starting to get their first and second doses, Moderna was having issues with supply. During that period, most people were vaccinated with Pfizer.
"When you get a flu shot, most people … wouldn't know who the brand manufacturer is. So, we got stuck on these names rather than understanding that an mRNA vaccine equals an mRNA vaccine," Bates said.
