Confused over brands, people are turning down Moderna vaccines, UW pharmacy prof says

People who appear confused over the companies making vaccines have been turning down the Moderna vaccine, says a University of Waterloo pharmacy professor.

Kelly Grindrod, who workers as a pharmacist and is part of a vaccination clinic in Kitchener, says brand recognition is playing a role in vaccination. Many people recognize the company Pfizer, so they are opting for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

"We got a lot of Moderna into the region and we saw at different sites that were getting Moderna that people were showing up at the clinics they were finding out it was Moderna and they were saying, 'No, I want Pfizer,' and they were leaving," she said.

"For the health-care providers we all went, 'What? Pfizer and Moderna are the same. Like, why would people do that?'"

Grindrod says people should know the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are like "Coke and Pepsi where you can't quite tell the difference between the flavours."

Both vaccines are mRNA,whichteach the body how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response to help ward offthe virus.

"They are like twins, they are very much the same same effectiveness, same efficacy, same benefits," she said.

Grindrod says the biggest difference between the two is Moderna is easier to transport and doesn't need to be kept in super cold freezers like the Pfizer vaccine.

"Really the only difference you see between Pfizer and Moderna is how it's handled, not anything to do with how you experience it yourself," she said.

'There is no issue whatsoever'

Waterloo region isn't the only place where people want Pfizer over Moderna. Hamilton public health officials said there's a similar trend in that city and medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said people should take the first vaccine they're offered.

"There is no issue whatsoever when it comes to the Moderna vaccine versus the Pfizer,"Richardson said.

Grindrod saidnews about possible side effects from the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine may have rubbed off on Moderna and now people are just looking for a name they recognize.

The province announced earlier this month that it would no longer give the AstraZeneca-OxfordCOVID-19 vaccine as afirstdose due to the risk of rareblood clots.Ontarians who got a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine between March 10 and March 19 may opt to receive a second doseat a 10-week interval during the week of May 24, the province announced Friday.

Moderna was developed in the U.S.

Country music singer Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Centerfor COVID-19 research that went, in part, towardthe development of the Moderna vaccine.