Islanders 50 and over can book Moderna vaccine appointments at pharmacies starting Monday

Islanders 50 and over can book an appointment to get the Moderna vaccine at one of 12 pharmacies starting Monday.

Pharmacies will be giving inoculations in the weeks to come, along with continuing to distribute doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.

Pharmacists expect the vaccine to be flying off the shelves in no time.

"We're allocated 350 shots. So those should disappear fairly quickly," said Rebecca Dunn, pharmacy manager at Murphy's Pharmacy in Cornwall.

"Hopefully all of our appointments will book up very quickly. I know when we first got the AstraZeneca we had great great success in filling those appointments." 

People 40 and over will also be able to book appointments for the vaccine at pharmacies starting May 24.

'Absolutely you have a choice'

Depending on supply, Islanders 55 and over will have a choice when their time comes to get the vaccine. Both AstraZeneca and Moderna are approved for those over that age.

"Absolutely you have the choice," Dunn said.

"Because, obviously, if our Moderna runs out and we have AstraZeneca left then you can get the AstraZeneca, but if we have both that is your choice."

Islanders under 55 who already had their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine are still waiting for answers on their second dose.

The province is awaiting recommendations by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Islanders who qualify to be vaccinated at a pharmacy, but are already booked at a vaccination clinic, can call to change that — then rebook to get vaccinated at one of the listed pharmacies.

The full list of pharmacies is available on the government website.

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