‘Take the COVID-19 vaccine that is offered to you’: Canada deliveries will nearly double in April
Posted March 18, 2021 11:19 am.
Last Updated March 18, 2021 4:30 pm.
The next month will see a significant jump in vaccine deliveries, according to federal officials who provided an update on the rollout of doses.
Canada could see the number delivered nearly double in April and will have received eight-million doses but by the end of that month, that number should be at least 15-million.
Federal health officials say they have been able to confirm April delivery schedules with Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca, with seven-million shots expected next month alone.
The military commander handling logistics for Canada’s vaccine distribution program says there will be enough COVID-19 vaccine delivered to give the first dose before Canada Day to every adult who wants one.
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And Major Gen. Dany Fortin says the country is still on track to get all Canadians fully vaccinated, if they want it, by the end of September.
“In total, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, between now to the end of the third quarter, we will have received 84-million doses of the vaccine.”
In a vaccine update, Dr. Howard Njoo says in the past week, provinces and territories have administered more than 672,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which is the highest number administered in one week since vaccination efforts began #cdnpoli
— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) March 18, 2021
Fortin also cautions that it is dependent on having no production delays again. Health Canada anticipates a total of 36.5-million doses from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India by June 30th.
Conversations continue with Johnson & Johnson, but we expect 10-million doses through April into the summer months.
On Thursday, Canada confirmed that it is expected to finalize an agreement with the U.S. that will see us receive 1.5-million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the effort Thursday but emphasized that the details have not been fully worked out.
On Wednesday, the U.S. said Canada would get priority for access to vaccine exports of US-made vaccines as the European Union threatens restrictions.
Federal health officials are urging Canadians to accept the COVID-19 vaccine they are offered, regardless of whether one appears to be more effective than another.
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Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Doctor Howard Njoo used a hockey analogy this morning at a virtual news conference to get his plea across.
“It’s true that no vaccine is 100 percent effective but as they say in hockey, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,” said Njoo.
“So take the COVID-19 vaccine that is offered to you.”
Officials would not say how discussions are progressing with the United States in terms of gaining access to vaccines produced by our neighbour, especially the AstraZeneca shot, of which millions of doses are in storage because it hasn’t been approved.
With files from The Canadian Press
