Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he has received new guarantees that Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination contracts will be met.
The Prime Minister made the statement at a press conference outside Rideau Cottage on Tuesday morning (Jan. 26), saying his discussion with Moderna CEO this morning had made “very, very clear” that Canada would continue to receive its promised vaccines. Canada is expected to receive six million doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines by the end of March, and Trudeau said any Canadian can be vaccinated by September.
Trudeau’s explanation came after he was asked about Europe’s warning to drug manufacturers that it could impose export controls on vaccine doses made in Europe. Both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are made in Europe. The world is already grappling with vaccine manufacturing issues after Pfizer announced earlier this month it would spend four weeks upgrading its facilities. However, the company announced that it would begin increasing vaccine production in February.
“We will continue to work very closely … to ensure Canada receives all of the cans that we have signed up to,” said Trudeau.
Health Canada is currently reviewing AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines, but there is no time when approval could be expected. If approved, Canada has signed contracts to receive 20 million cans from AstraZeneca and 10 million from Johnson and Johnson.
As of Thursday, 779,025 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 340,200 doses of Moderna had been distributed to the province responsible for vaccinating their populations. The government currently expects 340,200 cans of Moderna in February, but only very small deliveries from Pfizer by February 15.
There’s more to come.
@ Katslepian
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