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Second-dose eligibility expanded again for Elgin, Oxford residents

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If you got your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on or before May 30 in Elgin or Oxford counties, now’s your chance to get your second dose earlier, public health announced Thursday afternoon. 

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Residents who received their first mRNA vaccine dose – either Pfizer or Moderna – on or before May 30 are now eligible to book an earlier second-dose appointment. 

“As of a reflection of regional vaccine supply and our desire to get people vaccinated quickly, we’re opening eligibility for earlier second doses to more people in tandem with our partners at Middlesex-London,” said Dr. Joyce Lock, medical officer of health for the Southwestern public health region.

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“This also allows primary care and pharmacies to maximize their vaccine supply and helps us fill any cancelled appointments with people waiting for a second dose. Our goal is to ensure vaccine is in arms, not in freezers.” 

Appointments for the next two weeks are limited, the health unit said, but officials encouraged residents to check back as appointments become available through cancellations. 

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It’s important to note that people must wait at least 28 days between their first and second shots, so residents who received their first jab on May 30 cannot rebook for before June 27, for example. Residents who received AstraZeneca must continue to wait eight weeks between doses while youth are also not yet eligible for earlier second doses, the health unit said.

In addition, adults 70 and older and specific high-risk health-care workers are also eligible for earlier second doses.

Getting as many residents as possible a second dose of vaccine quickly is key in the fight against the Delta variant, Lock said this week, noting it is more contagious and is now circulating in the community.

Nearby, the Middlesex-London public health has received a massive influx of vaccine doses in the past week and recently added more than 40,000 new appointments into its online system. That health unit even went as far as postponing some programs in order to free up staff to work at mass-vaccination sites. The London area is expected to receive about 130,000 doses of vaccine in the coming days.

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Lock urged residents to book the first second dose available to them, reminding people that vaccine mixing is safe and effective. The region has received more Moderna vaccine recently, as shipments of Pfizer have been delayed.

“Both (mRNA) vaccines are completely suitable for a second dose. Brand mixing is not a new thing; it is a safe process,” Lock said.

Residents can visit covidvaccinelm.ca to reschedule online or call 1-800-922-0096 ext. 9. Residents who can make it to a public health vaccination clinic within 30 minutes if called can also sign up for the health unit’s same-day list, where they will get a call if there has been a cancellation or no-show. 

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