THUNDER BAY - The United Kingdom has authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use and could start immunizing as early as next week, while the United States says it could start in early December, but Canadians are still waiting to learn when immunizations will begin in Canada.
Minister of Health Patty Hajdu said Health Canada regulators are continuing to review the data of two potential vaccines and decisions are expected soon.
“As soon as we have an approved vaccine that’s when we will get started,” Hajdu said. “Health Canada regulators have assured me they will have a decision soon. They are currently reviewing the data from Pfizer and working closely with the manufacturer. The U.K. was the first country in the world to approve the vaccine and certainly won’t be the last.”
“Here in Canada, I think Canadians can be assured we will ensure their safety and that’s what the regulators in Canada do. They are an independent regulatory body, free from political influence, and they will decide when the vaccine is safe.”
Earlier this week, provincial leaders, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, have asked for timelines on when COVID-19 vaccines could be available.
Leader of the opposition, Erin O’Toole, also issued a statement on Thursday demanding the federal government share its plan on getting the vaccine to Canadians.
“Canadians deserve to know when they can expect each vaccine type to be available in Canada and how many vaccines will be available per month,” O’Toole said in a statement.
“As part of the plan, provinces and health partners across the country need to know if there will be federal guidance on which priority groups will receive the first rounds of vaccines, such as front-line health workers and seniors.”
Hajdu said the federal government has been working with provincial and territory officials and they are actively involved in the planning for rolling out vaccines.
“We are going to continue to plan with the provinces and territories,” she said. “The plan is coming together well. I think Canadians can be confident when the vaccines are ready Canada will be ready too.”
“They have the systems. Some of the more complex vaccine delivery logistics, we are there to support them. That work is under way. The provinces and territories have been there every step of the way.”
It is still unclear exactly when Canadians can expect immunizations to begin. Vulnerable populations and health care workers will most likely be at the top of the priority list, but the rest of the population may have to wait until the spring and summer months.
“I think Canadians can expect some relief in the spring and summer months that there will be more access to regular vaccines,” Hajdu said.
“There are two tracts of vaccines we are working on. The more complex ones, the Pfizer and Moderna, those vaccines are difficult to get around. They need to be stored at extremely cold temperatures and have some very complex logistical requirements. But the rest of them are more traditional vaccines and easily deployed. None of those have been approved yet, but we have two more traditional vaccines."
In Northern Ontario, there will also be the issue of getting vaccinations to remote communities.
Early in the pandemic, First Nations communities were considered vulnerable populations due to living conditions and access to health care and Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said he would like to have discussions with Hajdu and Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott on not only getting vaccines to First Nation communities, but rapid tests as well.
“We need to make sure there is public health infrastructure in place that once the vaccines are available we can make arrangements to have vaccines take place in all our communities in a timely way,” he said.
“The living conditions and access to proper health care are reasons for our communities to be put on the priority list.”
Hajdu said the National Advisory Committee on Immunizations is working on providing advice on vaccine prioritizations.
“They’ve given some general buckets, all with the focus of saving lives and stopping the spread,” she said. “Vulnerable people are a priority population. After that the provinces and territories do a further prioritization.”
