This week Canada had some good news:
the Prime Minister announced a new deal that will result in an additional 20
million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine coming to Canada.
Unfortunately, this additional vaccine supply will not make it to Canada until
sometime between April or May.
This is very important because this week CBC reported that British Columbia has
now “slowed its pace” administering the vaccine while the province
awaits for more vaccine supply to arrive.
Another decision that BC has had to make, related to the lack of supply for the
COVID vaccine, is that the required 2nd dose will now be administered 35 days
after the first dose.
The reason for this is to ensure as many vulnerable citizens receive the first
dose as possible and to maximize the limited supply.
The challenge with this is that Health Canada states the following:
“The vaccine is given by an injection (0.3 mL) into the muscle of the arm.
For the vaccine to work best, you need to get 2 doses: a single dose and then a
second dose 21 days later. Based on studies in about 44,000 participants, the
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was 95% effective in preventing COVID-19
beginning 1 week after the second dose. This means that people may not be fully
protected against COVID-19 until at least 7 days after the second dose.”
BC has indicated that extending the 2nd dose to 35 days is ‘approved’ by the
World Health Organization as well as the Federal Government.
This is noteworthy as Health Canada is the regulatory agency that approves the
use of any vaccine or drug based on its arms length, evidence based process.
However, some groups of BC Doctors have opposed this move suggesting it is
potentially “unscientific, unsafe and unethical.”
The BC Nurses Union has also been reported as questioning this move stating
that nurses “follow the other guidelines from the manufacturer around
storage and handling of this vaccine," pointing out that; "now
we're going to deviate?"
It is unfortunate BC is in this situation.
It is well known that the Trudeau Liberal Government, for reasons unknown, made
their first deal with the China based CanSino Biologics to deliver vaccine.
The Chinese Government ultimately blocked this vaccine from coming to Canada.
As a result of that deal collapsing, Canada did not secure the large quantities
of vaccine it now has on order from other manufactures in as timely of a
manner.
My question this week is:
If you received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine (as some citizens now
have, here in the Okanagan) do you believe it is a reasonable expectation to
receive the second dose within the 21 day time-frame as set out by the
manufacturer?
I can be reached at:
Email: Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca
Toll Free: 1-800-665-8711
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