Canada to receive early delivery of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Canada to receive early delivery of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine – GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 7, 2020 – Today, Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will receive up to 249,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020, contingent on Health Canada authorization of the vaccine.

The first shipment of doses, pending approval from Health Canada is tracking for as early as next week, according to the Prime Minister. These doses are part of the up to 76 million doses Canada has secured through its existing agreement with Pfizer. As with all COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be authorized by Health Canada before being administered to Canadians.

“We are facing the largest immunization in the history of our country,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “This is no small task, which is why we have a clear plan. Our government through the national operations centre has been working with the provinces and territories to ensure that we are ready to roll out the doses as soon as they’re approved and delivered, said PM Trudeau.

Following the initial December shipments of 249,000 doses, Trudeau said shipment of millions more doses that are on order will continue to arrive into 2021.

“I want to assure Canadians that any vaccine approved in Canada will be safe and effective,” assured Trudeau. “The regulatory process is ongoing and experts are working around the clock. They will uphold Canada’s globally recognised gold standards for medical approvals,” added Trudeau.

Pfizer, the Public Health Agency of Canada with the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Provinces and Territories are working together to finalize preparations at the first point-of-use sites this week, including training on how to handle the product, which must be transported and stored at -70 degrees Celsius.

Important logistical tests are planned, beginning with a dry run with Pfizer this week, led by the National Operations Centre. This dry run will be used to confirm the ordering, shipping and importation processes from the point of manufacture to the point of use across Canada. In this initial dry run with Pfizer, a shipping container with dry ice and a data-logger will simulate a shipment of the vaccine.

The Government of Canada expects to conduct other rehearsals to confirm ordering and shipping processes for additional vaccines as they become available. These test activities are important to ensure that the Provinces and Territories have the necessary infrastructure and equipment in place and are able to plan to effectively and efficiently administer COVID-19 vaccines as they roll-out.

Important logistical tests are planned, beginning with a dry run with Pfizer this week, led by the National Operations Centre. This dry run will be used to confirm the ordering, shipping and importation processes from the point of manufacture to the point of use across Canada. In this initial dry run with Pfizer, a shipping container with dry ice and a data-logger will simulate a shipment of the vaccine.

The Government of Canada expects to conduct other rehearsals to confirm ordering and shipping processes for additional vaccines as they become available. These test activities are important to ensure that the Provinces and Territories have the necessary infrastructure and equipment in place and are able to plan to effectively and efficiently administer COVID-19 vaccines as they roll-out.

“The Government of Canada continues to do everything possible to protect Canadians from COVID-19.,” said The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement.”This includes securing the world’s most extensive portfolio of vaccines and taking all necessary measures to ready the country to receive doses once they are authorized for use.”

The vaccine will be rolled out to each province on a per capita basis.

Pfizer submitted an application for regulatory review of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate under Health Canada’s interim order on October 9, 2020. Results of this review are expected soon. 

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom will be the first to administer the vaccine this coming week, to the country’s most vulnerable.

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