the national advisory committee on immunizations last week recommended priority be given to residents and workers in long-term care homes, front-line health workers, people over the age of 80 and people living in indigenous communities.
however the pfizer vaccine has to be kept frozen below -70 c, which means the logistics of sending them to remote communities make doing so nearly impossible. trudeau said northern leaders have asked for vaccines that are easier to handle.
moderna’s vaccine candidate, which is expected to be second in line for approval, only needs to be stored in regular freezers that can keep temperatures below at least -20 c.
canada is set to receive four million doses of the pfizer vaccine by march and 20 million in 2021. canada has an option in the contract to buy up to 56 million more.
but trudeau said monday everything is now happening faster.
“canada has secured an agreement with pfizer to begin early delivery of doses of their vaccine candidate,” trudeau said.
the pfizer/biontech vaccine needs two doses, so 249,000 doses would be enough to vaccinate nearly 125,000 people.
health canada is also reviewing three other vaccine candidates, including the one from moderna, which is set to deliver two million doses to canada in the first quarter of 2021.
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trudeau: first covid vaccine doses set to arrive next week