Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to reassure Canadians that vaccine administrations would be back in a few weeks and that the overall goal, that all Canadians want to be vaccinated in September, was on track. .
But it was Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford who bluntly expressed the frustration of many provincial leaders as Pfizer continues to slash the vaccine delivery schedule in Canada.
“We have to be with these guys like a blanket, I’d be out of this guy’s house. Every time he moved, I’d say, ‘Where are our shots?’ “There are people who get them, the European Union gets them, why not Canada? That’s my question to Pfizer, we need your support,” Ford said during a news conference Tuesday.
The supply of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine to Canada comes from the European allocation and not from manufacturing facilities near the US, as the Trump administration made it clear that no vaccines would be exported.
“There’s a plant, a Pfizer plant, six hours in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with the Americans,” Ford said. “My American friends are helping us, we need help once again as we did with the EPP. You have a new president, we no longer need excuses, and we look forward to your support and that is a direct message to President (Joe) Biden,” help your neighbor “.”
Ford made a direct request to President-elect Joe Biden for a million vaccines for Canada.
The incoming Biden administration is unlikely to release doses of vaccines for short-term export, as those responsible for Biden’s transition have said they are uncertain about the current supply of vaccines available in the US.
Canadian government officials made it clear on Tuesday that Pfizer’s delivery deficit would lead to a “significant reduction” in vaccines in the coming weeks.
“There will be a considerable impact in all provinces,” said Major General Dany Fortin, the Canadian commander in charge of vaccine deployment, adding that “the overall impact over the next month is in the range of 50%.” assignment “.
The pandemic curve in Canada is starting to show signs of downward bending after weeks of blockage. But hospitalizations remain high and officials say the overall death toll during this second wave could eventually be more severe than the first.
“We all contribute to reducing the burden on the health system, we support our healthcare staff in the difficult task of planning and implementing mass deployment of vaccines and giving vaccines a longer runway to start operating as the access is expanded to reach all Canadians, “said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s head of public health during a news conference on Tuesday.
If added on average, there are about 140 virus-related deaths in Canada every day.