Can you choose your COVID-19 vaccine?

CALGARY (CityNews) – More vaccines are arriving in Canada, and as more vaccines are approved, do you have a choice about which vaccine you receive?

Experts say that the best thing you can do for your health this year is to get a COVID-19 vaccine but according to one doctor, the fact that you don’t have a choice in which one to get doesn’t matter.

“Currently, there’s no evidence that anyone vaccine is better than the other,” said Dr. Daniel Gregson, Epidemiologist with the University Of Calgary. “The best vaccine is the one in your arm.”

CityNews reached out to Alberta Health for comment, and they sent this statement: “Due to the limited supply, Albertans are not currently receiving a choice in the type of COVID-19 vaccine that they receive. The only exception is those who will be eligible to receive AstraZeneca starting March 10.”

“All the COVID-19 vaccines currently available are safe and effective and will help prevent serious illness. We recommend all Albertans get immunized as soon as they are eligible, no matter what vaccine option is provided.”

RELATED: Experts caution against comparison shopping of COVID-19 vaccines

No province is currently offering a choice of which vaccine to get but AstraZeneca is the exception because there was initially limited data on how effective the vaccine would be on those over 65, but that has since updated.

“Data coming out of Scotland that even for people over 80, the vaccine is very effective,” said Gregson.

On top of that, allowing people the choice of which vaccine to choose could make distribution complicated as some of the vaccines require special requirements for delivery and storage.

Nicholas King, a biomedical ethics professor at McGill University said that freedom of choice is a legitimate concern and all things being equal, it would be great if people had choices.

However, he said all things are not equal right now and health officials need to communicate clearly why there isn’t a choice.

“We have every faith and confidence in every one of these vaccines and it is simply the case that getting vaccinated with anything at all is better individually and socially than waiting until you have a choice of vaccine.”

At the end of the day, Gregson acknowledges, it’s an easy choice.

“As soon as you can, get your vaccine.”

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