Trudeau speaks with Moderna CEO, remains confident most Canadians will be vaccinated by Sept.
Posted January 26, 2021 5:30 pm.
Last Updated January 26, 2021 5:34 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The opposition parties aren’t buying assurances from the Prime Minister that Canada is on track to receive all of the COVID-19 vaccines it ordered, amid a temporary delay in shipments by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner is expressing concern that a possible European Union ban on vaccine shipments could cause major disruptions in the supply to Canada.
Justin Trudeau says he is “very confident” Canada is going to get all the doses promised by the end of March.
Late Tuesday, the Prime Minister sent out a tweet saying he spoke to Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel, who informed Trudeau that Canada will receive additional vaccine shipments “in a timely manner”.
“We’re on track to have every Canadian who wants a vaccine get one by September,” Trudeau said.
Europe – like Canada – is being shorted on deliveries from Pfizer as the company slows production to expand its plant in Belgium.
But recently, AstraZeneca also informed Europe that production issues will reduce initial deliveries of its vaccine, which Europe is expected to approve for use later this week.
Ontario’s government says it expects 26,325 Pfizer-BioNTech doses next week, which are far fewer than the amount originally expected.
With files from The Canadian Press
