Ontario resident says he was denied booster because previous two doses were mixed

As of Monday, William was one of approximately 5.5 million Ontarians age 50 and over who became eligible to receive their booster shot.

Ready for his third dose, he went online and conveniently discovered a GO-VAXX bus mobile clinic administering Pfizer in his area the same day.

William arrived early, patiently waited, and provided his health card until he was finally taken to a designated vaccine station to receive his dose. A scene that is familiar to vaccinated individuals across the province.

“I sat down, took my coat off, and had my sleeve rolled up,” the Niagara resident tells CityNews, “Then the guy comes over to me and says ‘you’re not eligible for a vaccination booster shoot’”

Confused, William asked him what made him not qualify, “He said well you have the AstraZeneca shot and the Pfizer shot and the government does not allow that. You’re not allowed to have a booster.”

William said he was perplexed by what he was being told after he was just checked in. As someone over 50 and with more than 168 days since his last dose, he knew that was all that was required to be eligible.

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“Every communication has been given to me, by the news and online. If you’re over 50 years of age, today you can book and have a booster shot. There were no exceptions from what I’ve seen and heard”

The 67-year-old alleges he eventually left when the staff was unable to properly show him where on the Ministry of Health’s website it stated that those with first and second mixed doses were ineligible to receive a booster.

“The ministry has reiterated to public health units that boosters should be provided to eligible individuals,” wrote Bill Campbell, a ministry of health spokesperson, in an email to CityNews, “regardless of whether previous two doses were mixed.”

The GO-VAXX clinics are a partnership between the Ontario government and Metrolinx to provide safe full-functional mobile clinics to communities mainly in Southern Ontario.

“I went and phoned Niagara Health and they said no, you should be eligible for your shot,” said William, who was provided with an appointment as well as the reassurance that he does in fact qualify to receive his booster.

He tells CityNews that he wanted to share his story so others with mixed doses aren’t denied the opportunity to receive their third dose as we approach the holidays.

“What you’ll be seeing in the next two weeks now is that most of us that got AstraZeneca are over 60, and most of us are coming up to six months. So there are going to be more people possibly stuck in this same situation.”