Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – Aug. 9, 2021 – I Mixed Vaccines & Am Having Trouble Booking Travel. What Can I Do?

Welcome to the Mayor’s Monday Mailbag, an initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office has launched to share weekly answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.At the end of the month, we’ll publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – Aug. 9, 2021QUESTION:“I listened to public health and medical advice and got the first vaccines available to me and that meant mixing vaccines for my first and second doses -- now I'm having trouble booking travel plans. What can I do? Can I get more than two doses?”ANSWER:You did the right thing by getting yourself the first available COVID-19 vaccine for your first and second dose. Studies have shown that mixing COVID-19 vaccine types is safe and provides good protection. Mixing of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), as well as mixing AstraZeneca (viral vector-based) and an mRNA vaccine is safe, effective and allows more people to receive their second dose sooner. An individual is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving their second dose of a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine. The two doses do not need to be of the same type.Travel restrictions and requirements may vary depending on the country, province or territory you are travelling to. Different countries may require vaccination by specific types of COVID-19 vaccines, or may accept a combination of COVID-19 vaccines. Carefully review the travel requirements of your final destination before travelling. Currently, the Federal government still advises all Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.Halton Region Public Health cannot provide additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine for travel purposes. The decisions about vaccine restrictions, requirements and guidance for travel are directed by the Federal Government.Here is a list of approved COVID-19 vaccines authorized by Health Canada and a list of trials and approved vaccines by country. Health Canada and other international medical experts are continuously reviewing data to determine if additional doses may be needed in the future.It is our understanding the Federal government is advocating “with the international community to make sure that people who are fully vaccinated in ways that Canadians recognize as safe and effective are also recognized around the world,” as reported by the CBC News article: Government working with other countries to recognize Canadians with mixed doses as fully vaccinated.If you have any further questions or concerns, please call 311 to speak to a public health professional.RELATED LINKS:

• Mayor's Monday Mailbag — July 2021 Roundup — Fireworks regulations, Millcroft Greens development, lifting of mask mandate & high-rises at Holland Park site
• Mayor’s Monday Mailbag — June 2021 Roundup — Development applications, vaccine supply & gunk on the beach

—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist