Due to a province-wide delay in the Pfizer vaccine deliveries this week, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s (EOHU) mass vaccination clinics will be administering Moderna vaccine (first or second dose) to all adults scheduled for vaccinations in the coming days.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are interchangeable and are equally safe and effective. Both vaccines use similar mRNA vaccine technology and can be safely mixed. For example, if you had Pfizer for your first dose, you could receive Moderna for your second dose, and vice versa. Both vaccines provide excellent protection against COVID-19 and its variants, including the Delta variant.
If you had AstraZeneca for your first dose you can safely take either Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca for your second dose for strong protection.
If your second COVID-19 vaccine is different than your first dose, you do not need to start your series over again. You will be considered fully immunized two weeks after receiving two doses of any Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines (AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna, in any combination).
The current remaining supply of Pfizer vaccine will be reserved for youth between the ages of 12 and 17, since this is the only vaccine approved for this age group at this time.
Delivery of Pfizer vaccine supply is expected to resume later this week.
Here are the COVID-19 statistics for the Eastern Health Unit (EOHU) jurisdiction as of Monday, June 21.
| Active cases | Patients in hospital | Patients in intensive care |
| 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Outbreaks in long-term care facilities and other group living institutions | Individuals who have received one vaccine dose | Deaths due to COVID-19 |
| 0 | 159,905 | 107 |
COVID-19 statistics for the province of Ontario for Monday, June 21.
| Active cases | Increase in cases from the previous day | Patients in hospital | Hospital patients in intensive care | Hospital patients in intensive care on ventilators |
| 3,454 | 270 | 261 | 323 | 202 |
COVID-19 vaccinations across Ontario as of Monday, June 21.
| One dose | Two doses |
| 12,669,775 | 2,972,700 |
Ontario deaths
As of Monday, June 21, there had been 9,022 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario, which was an increase of three deaths from June 20.
Vaccination appointment information
Vaccination appointment booking is available directly through the provincial booking system at www.Ontario.ca/bookvaccine. Individuals who require assistance with booking can call the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488.
The EOHU is contacting people who received their first vaccine dose before the provincial booking system was established to assist them with making appointments for their second dose. Individuals aged 70 and older are also able to reschedule their second dose appointment for earlier than originally scheduled.
Appointments can be made by an individual or with the help of someone. If you know someone who is part of an eligible group, please encourage them to get vaccinated. Those needing assistance with booking or getting to their COVID-19 vaccine appointment should visit the EOHU website to access local supports.
Across the EOHU territory, seven more COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been added between June 20 and June 28.
Across Ontario, the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine has been accelerated from 12 weeks to eight weeks. Using AstraZeneca in combination with other vaccines is also possible.
Reopening
Step one of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen program began on June 11. The first step emphasizes outdoor activities, including limits on outdoor seating at restaurants and bars. Provincial parks and other overnight campgrounds are now open.
The province will remain in each step for at least 21 days to evaluate any impacts on key public health and health system indicators. If at the end of the 21 days, the following vaccination thresholds have been met, along with positive trends in other key public health and health system indicators, then the province will move to the next step:
- Step 1: 60 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose.
- Step 2: 70 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 20 per cent vaccinated with two doses.
- Step 3: 70 to 80 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 25 per cent vaccinated with two doses.
For complete details on step one of Roadmap to Reopen in Ontario, go to https://thereview.ca/2021/06/07/ontario-to-move-to-step-one-of-roadmap-to-reopen-on-june-11/ .
