Pharmacies across Ontario are ready to administer the second shot of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine before 55,000 doses expire on May 31.
Health officials stopped first doses of the vaccine due to a rare reaction that caused some people to develop blood clots. The province announced residents who already received their first dose can book their second dose starting Monday.
Tim Brady owns Brady's Drug Stores in Belle River, Essex and Tilbury and tells The Afternoon News a second dose of AstraZeneca is safe.
"If you had a first shot and you haven't had a clot, your chances of getting a clot on the second shot is 10 times less than the first," he says. "Odds are if you did fine on the first you'll be fine on the second."
While the second dose is safe, Brady says he understands if people are still nervous about the shot.
"The possibility is still there to get a different vaccine, but we don't know right now if it will be a two or three shot regiment," he says. "Everybody should ask as many questions as they feel comfortable with. We don't want anybody to do anything they don't feel safe with."
If studies show a different vaccine could be used, Brady warns that it may not be as effective as just getting a second dose of AstraZeneca.
"Would two shots be enough or will it have to turn into a three shot regiment, so I think most people that I'm experiencing are excited just to say, 'we know if we get the two shots we're done,'" he says. "From a simplicity factor, that's the one they seem to prefer to want to go to."
Those who received the first shot of AstraZeneca between March 10 and March 19 will be first in line to receive their second dose.
Brady estimates more than 35,000 residents in Essex County received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.