Should you mix COVID-19 vaccines?: 'Please don't be misled by bungled communication,' doctors say about uproar over WHO statement
One statement from the World Health Organization's chief scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, about mixing vaccines sent Canadians in a frenzy on social media.
"It's a little bit of a dangerous trend here," Dr. Swaminathan said on Monday, specifically after a question about booster shots and referencing individuals deciding for themselves whether they need that third dose. "It will be a chaotic situation in countries if citizens start deciding when and who will be taking a second, a third and a fourth dose."
Individuals should not decide for themselves, public health agencies can, based on available data. Data from mix and match studies of different vaccines are awaited - immunogenicity and safety both need to be evaluated https://t.co/3pdYj4LUdz
— Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) July 12, 2021
There was no specific reference to Canada and individuals who have mixed the Pfizer and Modern COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Swaminathan went on to tweet that "individuals should not decide for themselves, public health agencies can, based on available data."
Health experts were quick to comment on the original reporting of the statement, taken out of context, reiterating that it is safe for Canadians to receive mixed doses of vaccines, including mixed mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) or a mix of viral vector vaccine (AstraZeneca) and an mRNA vaccine.
Created an infographic on the @reuters article that caused massive uproar and confusion - regarding a comment by the Chief Scientist at the @WHO that was taken completely out of context. The Q had absolutely nothing to do with our Canadian policy on mixing & matching vaccines. pic.twitter.com/SQlyx5wWKT
— Sabina Vohra-Miller (@SabiVM) July 13, 2021
This headline is misleading. @doctorsoumya from @WHO warned against individuals "vaccine shopping" outside of public health regulations (and in some cases, getting 3rd 4th doses on their own). She did NOT say that individual countries' vaccine policies were "dangerous." 1/3 https://t.co/IgWn6dlwiu
— Menaka Pai, MSc MD FRCPC (@MPaiMD) July 12, 2021
This👇🏽
Calm down folks—we’re good. https://t.co/936RcOsPtS— Andrew Morris (@ASPphysician) July 12, 2021
Mixing vaccines means ADDING immunity with a minimal cost of minor side effects. That's it. Please don't be misled by bungled communication. Science & sensibility will be your guide! https://t.co/pwJFB8E6lc
— Abdu Sharkawy (@SharkawyMD) July 13, 2021
Let's be clear. This does NOT mean that mix/match is not effective or safe. Certainly enough emerging data to support both. But decisions should be guided locally, regionally by PH/medical expertise not individuals. https://t.co/dOaU4GllDl
— Abdu Sharkawy (@SharkawyMD) July 12, 2021
It's clear that that messaging around #MixAndMatch vaccines is both political and contextual. What's emphasized depends on who is speaking and who their intended audience is. The ignored audience is mainly the people who have received mixed vaccines. That's a big problem.
— Dr. Brian Goldman (@NightShiftMD) July 14, 2021
This confusion is an example of why public communication around vaccinations and COVID-19 is critically important.
We continue to advise Ontarians that mixing of the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, as well as mixing AstraZeneca and an mRNA vaccine, is safe, it's effective and it enables people to get their second dose sooner.Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health
"We are following the advice of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, which recommends it is safe to mix these vaccines, based on studies from the U.K., from Spain, from Germany, and they have found that mixing these vaccines is very safe and produces a strong, effective immune response. Of course we will continue to monitor the data and work with the National Advisory Committee as well as the federal government on this."
