The following is an email which was sent to all patients who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in March. If you received your AstraZeneca vaccine in April or May, the following information will likely apply to you too when you are due for your shot at 12 weeks - you will be receiving an email closer to that time for booking information here in our office.
——
You are very soon going to be eligible to receive a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine - once 12 weeks have passed from your original shot. If you have been following the news, you may already be aware that since you received your first shot, there have been a lot of changes around AstraZeneca. We know this has been concerning and stressful for a lot of you, and hope this email can help clarify where things are at this point.
The first important point is that by choosing to get your first dose of AstraZeneca back in March, you did your part to fight against the worst (and hopefully the last) wave of this pandemic that our country has seen. Thank you for making that choice and protecting yourself and those you love. It is also important for you to get a second dose, to further boost your protection against this terrible virus and prevent yet another wave of cases and lockdowns.
When 12 weeks have passed from your first dose, you will have a choice of which vaccine to receive for your second dose. You can choose to receive another AstraZeneca vaccine, or you can choose either of the mRNA vaccines (Moderna or Pfizer). The reason for this choice is a very rare risk of blood clots that occur after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. The risk of blood clots after either the first or second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is extremely rare, and a second dose is proven to provide strong protection against COVID-19. Due to this risk, however, people in other countries have received one dose of AstraZeneca followed by a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, and what we know so far suggests that this has been both safe and effective at preventing COVID-19.
Please read through this decision-aid to understand the factors in making this decision:
SHORT FORM: https://uwaterloo.ca/pharmacy/sites/ca.pharmacy/files/uploads/files/i_got_astrazeneca_for_my_first_dose._which_vaccine_is_best_for_my_second_1_pager.pdf
LONGER WITH MORE DETAILS: https://uwaterloo.ca/pharmacy/sites/ca.pharmacy/files/uploads/files/i_got_astrazeneca_for_my_first_dose_what_should_i_do_for_my_second_-_long_version.pdf
If you’re interested in getting a second dose of AstraZeneca, here are your options:
- Our clinic is holding an AZ clinic on Wednesday June 23 for patients who had their first dose in March - please call our office to book your spot
- Local pharmacies will have a supply of AZ as well (though they will likely be prioritizing patients who received their first doses of AZ at that location), you can find participating pharmacies here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations
If you’re interested in getting Pfizer or Moderna as your second dose, here are your options:
- Our clinic is holding a Moderna clinic on Wednesday Jun 16 for patients who had their first dose in March - please call our office to book your spot
- Local pharmacies also have a supply of either Moderna or Pfizer, you can find participating pharmacies here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations
- Our Public Health Unit is planning a method for patients to receive their 2nd doses of Pfizer or Moderna at the mass clinics as well, please check this website for details: https://www.wdgpublichealth.ca/your-health/covid-19-information-public/covid-19-vaccine-information/first-and-second-dose
We know this may be a difficult decision for some, and we are here to support you in making this choice. The good news is, whichever decision you make, you will be increasing your protection against COVID-19 and helping to end this pandemic once and for all.