Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) on Wednesday upheld the health regulator's decision to allow up to four months between two coronavirus vaccination shots amid an enduring shortage of available doses
TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th April, 2021) Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) on Wednesday upheld the health regulator's decision to allow up to four months between two coronavirus vaccination shots amid an enduring shortage of available doses.
"NACI recommends that in the context of limited COVID-19 vaccine supply and ongoing pandemic disease, jurisdictions should maximize the number of individuals benefiting from the first dose of vaccine by extending the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine up to four months after the first," the advisory panel said in a statement.
NACI recommended that second dose shots be offered as soon as possible after all eligible groups have received their first dose, with priority being given to the most vulnerable populations.
The advisory panel also said it will continue to monitor developments and adjust recommendations as needed.
The recommendation sparked heated debate in the medical community, with one top expert saying that officials are conducting nothing less than a "population-level experiment."
Numerous international medical officials have suggested the authorities should adhere to the manufacturers' recommended timelines between shots - 21 days for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 28 for the Moderna vaccine.
