'I'm kind of getting handcuffed by it': Mixed vaccinations posing problems for Manitoba travellers
Before the pandemic Mike Jaycocks and a group of friends would plan a trip to a sunny destination outside of Canada every year.
Now, as international borders begin to reopen, Jaycocks is looking into a post-pandemic trip, only to discover he may not be recognized as “fully vaccinated,” even after receiving two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“Everybody advocated for AstraZeneca, so I thought, ‘okay, I want to do my part,’” said Jaycocks, who received a first dose of the viral vector AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer mRNA vaccine as his second dose.
“But now it’s kind of rebounding and I’m kind of getting handcuffed by it,” he said.
“The reality is there are going to be a lot of places that aren’t going to consider me fully vaccinated.”
Some tourist destinations are not recognizing mixed COVID-19 doses as fully vaccinated.
Barbados recently overturned its rule against mixed dose travellers, though cruise lines remain an issue for folks who received two different varieties of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Guests who have received one single dose of a vector vaccine (e.g., AstraZeneca) and one single dose of an mRNA vaccine (e.g., Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna) will not be considered fully vaccinated,” reads Princess Cruises's vaccination policy.
The cruise line will recognize individuals who received two different doses of the same type of vaccine (e.g., the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines) as fully vaccinated.
Other major cruise lines, like Carnival CruiseLine and Norwegian Cruise Lines, have similar policies in place.
It’s an issue the province of Manitoba is currently aware of.
“We can't change our rollout to try to match the requirements of the thousands upon thousands of different companies and the rules that they may have in place,” Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for the province’s vaccine implementation task force, said on Wednesday.
“That doesn't minimize how frustrating it is for someone who may not be able to go on a cruise with their cruise line of choice,” said Reimer.
Travel advisor Barb Crowe said she has been fielding a lot of calls and questions from prospective travellers on international vaccine policies and mixed doses.
She’s hopeful cruise lines and other countries will recognize mixed vaccines as fully vaccinated soon.
“Sometimes I think there’s a bit of a knee-jerking reaction going on,” said Crowe, president of Ixtapa Travel.
“When they really sort it out and dot the I’s and cross the T’s, I sort of feel like it’s going to be okay,” she said.
In the meantime, Jaycocks hopes the province will provide him with a second mRNA dose if there’s adequate supply.
“If there are doses and I can get my second Pfizer,” said Jaycocks, “Then why not let me?”
“At this time, no province or territory is offering third doses for the purpose of travel or compliance with individual company policies,” reads a statement provided by a provincial spokesperson to CTV News.
“We expect that over time, mixed schedules will be recognized widely as they are being used in many countries around the world.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.