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Federal Gov’t Unveils COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out Details

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Federal officials are preparing for what they describe as “one of the most ambitious and complex vaccination programs” ever delivered in Canada.

Dr. Howard Njoo, the country’s deputy chief public health officer, said the initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines is expected early next year.

“We will immunize as many Canadians as possible, as quickly as possible, and ensure that high-risk populations are prioritized,” said Njoo.

Njoo said the country has already negotiated agreements with seven “promising vaccine manufacturers.”

But not every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to get a vaccine during the initial round.

“The initial supply of these vaccines will be limited such that we will be able to vaccinate about three million Canadians,” said Njoo. “That means we need to be strategic about who will be vaccinated first.”

Njoo said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization is expected to publish new guidance in the coming days to further refine key populations to be vaccinated.

But the deputy chief public health officer reiterated that the country is “well-positioned” to offer vaccines to every Canadian in 2021.

“Having said that, in a country as geographically large and diverse as ours, we are facing some logistical complexities,” said Njoo. “The need for ultra-cold storage for specific vaccines, reaching remote communities and coordinating between orders of government, just to name a few.”

“Typically, the vaccines go from the manufacturer to the provinces and territories. However, certain COVID-19 vaccines will require a different approach due to their novel nature. They will have different sets of logistical considerations.”

Vaccines requiring ultra-cold storage will be delivered directly by the manufacturer while others will be transported by a federally-contracted provider, said Njoo.

He said the Canadian Armed Forces and the Public Health Agency of Canada will work together on delivering the vaccines to provinces and territories, who will be responsible for administering them.

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Public Health Measures Still Required: Njoo

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Canada’s deputy chief public health officer is reminding people that despite restrictions easing up, it’s important to follow public health measures.

Dr. Howard Njoo said there are still people who can become very sick from COVID-19.

“Continue to follow the individual public health measures that are important to stop the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “Any optimism is predicated on our continued respect of public health measures.”

There are now more than 83,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 6,355 deaths, and just over half of patients have recovered.

There have been over 1.4-million people tested, with about 5 per cent testing positive overall.

Labs across Canada are testing an average of 26,000 to 28,000 people daily.

“Public health officials in your area will make recommendations based on a number of factors, including the rates of infection and/or transmission in the community,” he said.

Njoo said recommendations may vary from location to location based on local reality. “Remember, it is now recommended that Canadians wear a non-medical mask as another layer of protection for settings where physical distancing is not possible.”