Ontario’s Ministry of Health’s Vaccine Clinical Advisory Group (VCAG) issued recommendations on Exceptions to Extended Dose Intervals for COVID-19 vaccines. CAPA wrote this letter due to concerns about the time delay that the National Advisory Council on Immunization (NACI) has deemed acceptable between first and second doses of vaccinations for people living with forms of inflammatory arthritis and who are on immunosuppressants. There is no evidence about expanding the timing between doses for the vaccines, so we are hoping NACI will reconsider this and keep their advice to Health Canada’s approved dosing interval for these vaccines.

The recommendations have been adjusted for other disease areas whose patients take immunosuppressants, we are concerned that this inequity will impact the health outcomes for arthritis patients.