Federal Update on COVID-19 and Vaccine Guidance – June 17, 2021
In a virtual news conference, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer, and Brigadier-General Krista Brodie, the vice-president of logistics and operations at the Public Health Agency of Canada, provide an update on the federal response to COVID-19. The briefing includes a discussion of the latest guidance on vaccine use from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). The committee now recommends that people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first dose should opt for an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna) for their second dose, given evidence suggesting better immune responses as well as less risk of vaccine-induced blood-clotting. It is still advised to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine as a second dose if an mRNA vaccine is unavailable or contraindicated.