In June, the National Committee on Immunization advised its preferred choice for COVID vaccines was the mRNA type — Pfizer and Moderna — even for people who received AstraZeneca, a viral-vector vaccine, as a first shot. Use of AstraZeneca had been paused for some age groups pending further study on rare but potentially fatal vaccine-induced blood clots. Despite provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry saying that AstraZeneca was safe and highly effective, demand for vaccine, which is being delivered through pharmacies, plummeted and some doses expired. Vikram Bawa, owner of Fort Royal Pharmacy, said his store locations in Oak Bay and on Hillside Avenue continue to deliver AstraZeneca shots, but with decreasing demand he simply groups appointments to ensure he doesn’t waste doses.