MORE ISSUES WITH CANADA'S COVID-19 VACCINE DELIVERIES
Jan 29, 2021
By Bob Komsic
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First Pfizer, now Moderna.
After receiving no doses from Pfizer this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Moderna’s only sending about three-quarters of the expected supply next week.
Moderna was set to ship 230,400 shots next week, with nearly 250,000 three weeks later.
Instead, next week’s shipment has been revised to 180,000.
Trudeau says the disruptions are tied to ”certain concerns around the manufacturing process.
This temporary delay doesn’t change the fact that we will still receive two million doses of the Moderna vaccine before the end of March, as we’ve been saying for months,” the prime minister adds.
Pfizer’s sending roughly 80% fewer doses over the next four weeks as its Belgian plant is undergoing production upgrades.
Trudeau says he had another ”very positive” and ”encouraging” phone call with Pfizer’s CEO and that they discussed Canada ”receiving more doses ahead of schedule starting in the spring.”
The prime minister promises to provide more details next week.
The Moderna delays come on the day the European Union releases details about new export controls; temporary measures aimed at tracking vaccines leaving the 27-member bloc to ensure supply on the continent.
In addition to the already approved vaccines, Health Canada’s reviewing clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca shot; with a decision expected ”in the coming days,” and a promising candidate from Johnson & Johnson.