‘God bless America’: U.S. to send 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to Canada

By Lucas Casaletto

The United States is figuring out how it could lend doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 to Canada and Mexico – something Ontario Premier Doug Ford greatly appreciates.

Press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the effort Thursday but emphasized that the details have not been fully worked out.

Canada is expected to secure 1.5 million doses of the vaccine by the end of March, Procurement Minister Anita Anand tells 680 NEWS. Mexico will reportedly receive 2 million doses.

The U.S. currently has 7 million “releasable” doses of the vaccine, which has yet to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Psaki said.

“Balancing the need to let the approval process play out … with the importance of helping stop the spread in other countries, we are assessing how we can loan doses,” Psaki told a media briefing.

“It is not fully finalized yet, but that is our aim and what we’re working toward with Canada and Mexico.”

Canada has been in talks with the U.S. about getting access to vaccines produced south of the border, especially the AstraZeneca shot, which has not been approved for use in the states.

AstraZeneca has millions of doses made in a U.S. facility and has said that it would have 30 million shots ready at the beginning of April.

The loan would be in lieu of a future exchange of doses from Canada and Mexico, Psaki said – either of the AstraZeneca vaccine or a different one.

“After numerous discussions with the Biden administration, Canada is in the process of finalizing an exchange agreement to receive 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the United States,” said Canada’s Procurement Minister, Anita Anand.

“We look forward to providing an update to Canadians once the details of this agreement are finalized.”

On Wednesday, the U.S. said Canada would get priority for access to vaccine exports of U.S.-made vaccines as the European Union threatens restrictions.

Biden has said in the past that the U.S. will not share its vaccines until after it has enough for its own people.

Ford touched on the reports, saying helping neighbours is what world leaders should do.

“President Biden, thank you,” said Ford. “God bless America, they’re coming to our rescue. I’ve been bugging [Donald] Trump and I’ve bugging Biden [about getting vaccines]. That’s what true neighbours do.”

Last week, Canadian provinces began administering 500,000 doses of the version of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced at the Serum Institute of India.


RELATED: ‘Take the COVID-19 vaccine that is offered to you’ – Canada deliveries will nearly double in April


This also comes as a European Union (EU) regulator announced that the AstraZeneca vaccine is “not associated” with higher blood clot risk.

The regulator, however, did say officials “cannot rule out definitively” a link to a rare clotting disorder.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that there is no evidence to suggest the vaccine was responsible and that the benefits of immunization far outweigh the potentially small risk. The drugmaker likewise said it found no increased risk of clots.

Some European countries had temporarily paused administration of the shot following reports of the side effect.

Earlier this week, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) expanded its recommendation for the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone over the age of 18.

The panel says they have considered three real-world effectiveness studies to inform the change in recommendation, citing real-world evidence from the United Kingdom.

Until recently, NACI had recommended Canadians over 65 not receive an AstraZeneca shot.

NACI has said the latest clinical trial data suggests vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are more effective than AstraZeneca for seniors.

Over 100,000 people aged 80-and-older booked their COVID-19 vaccine appointments Monday despite technical issues with the website and long wait times to get through to the call centre.


With files from The Associated Press, Reuters

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