Ontario’s supply of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 to be temporarily interrupted
Published February 23, 2023 at 12:32 pm
If you plan on taking your young child in for their first or second dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, you might have to go with Pfizer or delay the second dose by a few weeks.
The Ontario Ministry of Health recently notified parents and caregivers that the province is expecting a temporary interruption in the supply of the infant Moderna vaccine.
The vaccine has been approved for children between 6 months and four years of age.
The province says the interruption will begin March 9, 2023, and is expected to last approximately six weeks.
In the letter, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, says parents and caregivers have several options, including:
- Delaying their child’s second dose (if they already have their first in the two-dose Moderna series) until doses are back in stock. In the letter, Moore says a delay will not affect the safety or efficacy of the vaccine series and that children will not be required to start the series over again.
- Take their child in for their shot on or before March 8 if it’s been at least 28 days since their first dose. The letter says this option might be best for children who are immunocompromised or who will be travelling.
- Receive a dose of Pfizer. For children receiving their first dose, they can start with Pfizer. Those who already had a Moderna shot can have a Pfizer shot as their second dose, but experts recommend that infants and young children stick to one vaccine type for their series. Parents who opt to do this should note that their child will need a third shot eight weeks after their second to finish the primary series.
The letter says parents and caregivers will be notified when Moderna doses are again available for infants and small children.
Videos
