Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health says it is pausing first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care workers as of Wednesday due to Pfizer production delays.
The health unit announced it will not receive a shipment on Feb. 1 and added that it doesn’t actually know when more vaccines will arrive from Pfizer.
The drugmaker announced it is scaling up its European manufacturing capacity – a move that officials said will impact the vaccine’s production for a “short period.”
First-dose vaccinations in Guelph will be rescheduled once Pfizer shipments resume.
“Individuals who have already received the first dose will be provided the second dose at a longer interval that does not exceed the 42-day maximum interval as in the product monograph,” public health said.
It added that shipments of the Moderna vaccine have not been affected and will continue to be used to vaccinate long-term care and retirement home residents.
The region received 3,700 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Jan. 15. It has also received 4,875 doses of the Pfizer vaccine since the beginning of January.
As of Tuesday night, 4,407 people in the region have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Public health said it still expects all 3,935 residents of long-term care and retirement homes will receive their first vaccine by Jan. 27.