Ontario pharmacists say thousands of doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are set to expire soon and they warn the supply could go to waste if people don't show up to get a shot.
Ontario Pharmacists Association CEO Justin Bates says some Moderna shots are set to expire early this month.
Bates says a slowdown in Ontario's vaccine rollout and a preference for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot have made it difficult for pharmacists to use up the Moderna doses.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit is asking people to roll up their sleeves for Moderna vaccines before more than 21,000 doses expire in two weeks' time.
A spokeswoman for the health minister says the province is working with the health unit to help re-allocate doses to areas of need.
Bates says pharmacies are now ordering vaccine based on scheduled appointments to cut down on possible waste, but they still need to use the supply they have on hand.
He says the pharmacists' organization wants a provincewide program to help re-direct doses at risk of being wasted to another site more likely to use them.
But he admits that process would be complicated.