Health Canada approves 1-shot Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Health Canada officially approved the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson and Johnson, the fourth vaccine now available for Canadians.

The federal regulator found the evidence that shows the vaccine is both safe and effective against the virus that causes COVID-19.

It is the first and only one Canada has purchased that requires just a single dose. Canada has pre-purchased 10 million doses, with options to buy another 28 million.

Joelle Paquette, the director general for vaccines at Public Services and Procurement Canada, said the 10 million doses are to arrive by September.

However it’s not expected that any will flow to Canada until at least April.

“At the moment, we are still in discussion with Johnson and Johnson to determine where their doses will be coming from and the delivery schedule,” Paquette said Thursday.

RELATED: Most Canadians could get 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine by end of June

Delivery schedules are not confirmed publicly until Health Canada’s regulatory review team gives a vaccine its seal of approval.

The United States became the first jurisdiction to approve Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine — which is officially produced by a subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals — on Feb. 26.

Production problems slowed initial deliveries in the United States. The Americans were to get 10 million doses as soon as the vaccine was approved but there were only four million doses shipped out March 1.

The U.S. expects to get another 16 million doses by the end of March and 100 million total by the end of June.

The European Medicines Agency, which Canada works with on all its COVID-19 vaccine reviews so far, is to make a decision in mid-March.

Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is the fourth vaccine to be approved in Canada, but is actually the fifth shot. This is because the AstraZeneca vaccine has two approvals, the one manufactured by Oxford and the other produced in India’s Serum Institute.

You may see/hear differences in the number of approved shots in Canada. Let's break it down. 4 vaccines are approved, and 5 shots.
Why?
Technically the Astra Zeneca vaccine has two approvals. The AZ shot produced in India's Serum Institute had to get a separate approval #cdnpoli

— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) March 5, 2021