Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) announced its updated guidance on Tuesday to allow mixing and matching approved COVID-19 vaccines in most scenarios, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
Under the updated guidance, people who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine may receive Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for their second dose, unless contraindicated. Four vaccines, developed by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, have been authorized for use in Canada to date.
The new guidance also advises that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be mixed for first and second doses.
But it is not recommending AstraZeneca after a first shot of Pfizer or Moderna because of 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 said at a press conference on Tuesday.
While NACI is advising that the vaccines can be safely used in combination, Tam said Canadians should try to get the same dose in a series if possible, specifically when receiving Pfizer or Moderna.