News release: June 19, 2021
Adults 18 years and older to receive Moderna only due to province-wide Pfizer shipment delay
Brampton, ON. (June 19, 2021) – Today, Peel Public Health was notified by the Ministry of Health of a shipment delay impacting next week’s delivery of Pfizer vaccine to our community.
In response to this unexpected delay, effective Monday June 21, all clinics in Peel Region will move to offer Moderna for all appointments booked by individuals 18+, through at least Thursday, June 24. Those aged 12-17 remain exempt from this change and will be vaccinated with remaining doses of Pfizer.
We want to remind our residents about the interchangeability of both COVID-19 mRNA vaccine products (Moderna and Pfizer) available in our community. The sooner our residents get vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine in any combination, the sooner we will achieve the broad community-wide second dose coverage in Peel to keep our reopening on track.
Mixing doses is not a new practice – the National Advisory Committee for Immunization (NACI), the Canadian agency that oversees all vaccines and their use, says that the mixing of COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. These clear recommendations provide us flexibility to quickly achieve broad and needed second-dose coverage with significant supplies of Moderna being received alongside Pfizer’s upcoming shipment delay and anticipated delivery reductions in early July.
If you have questions about mixing vaccines, our staff is available to offer reassurance and ensure you feel comfortable prior to receiving your vaccine. Please remember that our vaccination clinic staff continue to serve the community with professionalism every day without any control over the supply that they are given. Any abuse or harassment of staff will not be tolerated.
This Pfizer shipment delay provides us an opportunity to remind our community of the clear science around interchangeability. Our community Mass Vaccination Program has again built out to full capacity to quickly achieve broad two-dose coverage in Peel. Subject to provincial allocation, we will continue to use all available supplies of approved vaccine to keep our reopening on track. I urge all residents to access two-dose protection in any approved combination as quickly as possible to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community. I also remind our residents to be patient, kind, and respectful to all our vaccination clinic staff; they are working tirelessly to protect you with the tools and supply that they have been given.
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health, Region of Peel.
Media contact
Ashleigh Hawkins
Communication Specialist
Region of Peel
About Peel Region
In 2024, Peel Region marks its 50th anniversary. Peel Region works with residents and partners to create a healthy, safe, and connected Community for Life for approximately 1.5 million people and over 200,000 businesses in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Peel's services touch the lives of residents every day. For more information explore peelregion.ca and follow us on X @regionofpeel and Instagram @peelregion.ca.
On December 13, 2023, the Ontario government announced that Peel Region will not be dissolved, and that Bill 112 legislation will be updated to reflect service delivery in Peel. Services for residents and businesses will continue without interruption. For updates and more information, visit Peel's transition page.
