Another series of COVID vaccine clinics begins today in Moncton for the top priority groups. The province received another 3900-doses of the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Health Minister Dorothy Shephard says half will be used for the second required shots for the 1800-seniors and front line health care workers who received shots last weekend. She says the other half will be first doses for more of the priority groups in the Moncton area during clinics beginning today and going through December 27th.
Shephard says she understands concerns from some health care workers about not getting time off to attend the clinics – but – she says the pace of clinics will step up as more vaccines become available from different suppliers:
The Pfizer vaccine requires special refrigeration units for storage to maintain the minus 70 to 80 temperature needed to preserve it. The anticipated Moderna vaccine also requires cold storage but only in the minus 20 range. Other vaccines expected in the coming weeks won’t require those kinds of temperatures.