OTTAWA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has assured Canadians that any vaccine approved in Canada will be both safe and effective.
In a statement to the nation, he reiterated that ‘No one, and no community, will be left behind. We have a plan to reach everyone who wants a vaccine, no matter where they live.
Of course, shipping in the winter – especially to the far North – isn’t without its challenges. He pointed out that the Moderna vaccine did not need some of the extra special handling requirements of the one from Pfizer, including ultra-cold freezers.
‘And that makes it a better option to ship over long distances to more remote areas.’
Doses of the Moderna vaccine will be directed to the North, as well as to remote, and Indigenous communities. The territories are scheduled to receive doses in the coming weeks, pending Health Canada approval.
“We are working to ensure the logistics planning is ready when vaccines are available and have already shipped medical-grade freezers to the North,” Trudeau said.
Meanwhile, some 200,000 of the total early order of doses from Pfizer will be arriving in Canada next week – with 70 sites listed for vaccine administration – up from 14 sites this week.
Canada now has agreements to receive up to 417,000 doses by January 1. Trudeau thanked Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and the Receiver General for Canada “for her unbelievable leadership on this issue, but I’d also like to highlight the remarkable work that MajorGeneral Fortin, his team, and all the employees at the Public Health Agency are doing to ensure the rollout of vaccines.”
He said: “This is a pan-Canadian effort. Our government will continue working with the provinces and territories, through the National Operations Centre, to ensure that the doses are distributed to Canadians as quickly as possible.
“As I announced at the First Ministers’ meeting last week, the federal government will cover 100 per cent of the cost of vaccines and the supplies necessary to administer them. The doses will be free for Canadians. And the provinces and territories will not have to dip into their budgets to pay for them either.
“In addition to vaccines, we’re also continuing to invest in treatments for COVID-19. I can announce that we are providing up to $6.7 million for the Canadian company Arch Biopartners, to support the development of their leading drug candidate to treat severe COVID-19 cases.
“This new funding was provided on the advice of Canada’s leading experts in the field who are serving on our COVID-19 Therapeutics Task Force.
“Progress on made-in-Canada treatments, a second agreement for early delivery of vaccine doses, the most vulnerable already starting to receive these life-saving shots – this is the good news we all needed. This pandemic will end. We will get through this.
But for now, we need to be incredibly careful. Keep each other safe. Keep your grandparents safe. Keep our doctors and nurses safe. Do the things you know that are going to help us get through this long winter.
“Vaccines are coming. Vaccines are already here, but we need to make it through this winter in the best possible situation without seeing more tragedies, without seeing more losses, that means we all have to do our part.
“It is not time for holiday gatherings. We have to be very cautious and continue our efforts. Keep your distance. Wear a mask. Use the COVID Alert app. Avoid gatherings. Wash your hands. Continue to do everything that needs to be done to protect one another.
“2020 was a long year, but we will be able to celebrate in 2021 when this pandemic will be over. We can see the end is near with the vaccines. But between now and then we must remain cautious. We have to do everything possible to protect our loved ones.”
He said that the government’s priority is protecting Canadians. “That’s why we’ve been working around the clock on procuring everything from PPE to rapid tests to safe, effective vaccines. “But let’s remember: this is a global pandemic. To end COVID-19 anywhere, we have to end it everywhere. To quickly get rid of COVID-19, people everywhere must have access to vaccines as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Anita Anand and Minister for International Development Karina Gould have announced that Canada is going to invest an additional $485 million in global cooperation to step up access to tools to fight COVID-19.
This investment will provide treatment and vaccines, as well as health care resources to developing countries. Minister Gould also announced that Canada will also be providing funding to help various nutrition and food security programs as part of the COVID-19 battle.