By Elishya Perera
MONTRÉAL, Québec (CWBN)_ Health Canada is on track to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December, and hopes to vaccinate three million Canadians by the end of March.
“We’re talking about January in terms of getting our first shipments in, if everything goes well,” Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s Chief Medical Adviser, said yesterday (Nov 26). “If it goes smoothly, it might be earlier. If there are hiccups … it may be a bit later.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty around the delivery and distribution of the vaccines has sparked heated debate in Ottawa, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canadians should expect a slower vaccine rollout in comparison to other countries, since Canada is unable to manufacture vaccines domestically.
The pressure on the federal government intensified this week as the United States and the United Kingdom rolled out detailed plans, promising early distribution of vaccines.
US Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, said on Tuesday (Nov 24) that the United States is prepared to deliver 6.4 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccines within 24 hours of receiving authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration, and intends to distribute 40 million doses by the end of the year.
Canada has signed advance purchase agreements with two leading vaccine candidates from Pfizer and Moderna. The FDA is expected to review the data from Pfizer on December 10 and Moderna’s shortly after.
Although the Canadian regulator is aiming to provide an interim authorisation around the same time, the issue lies with regard to delivery.
A provincial source told The Globe and Mail that the timing and vaccine volume details will determine everything from staffing levels to the pressure on distribution networks.
Therefore, while the provinces and territories are responsible for the final logistics and vaccine administration, the premiers need more clarity on the timing of vaccine distribution as well as the expected weekly allocations, in order to make necessary arrangements.
Although the premiers had their weekly meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday (Nov 26), it is reported that Trudeau barely gave any more information than what he and his ministers have been saying publicly, and the premiers are certain that not having sufficient information would turn out to be a problem in the near future.
Edited by Chathushka Perera
