Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

COVID-19 vaccines: What we know so far

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 27 Nov, 2020 08:44 PM
  • COVID-19 vaccines: What we know so far

Vaccines are now a bright spot of hope on the COVID-19 pandemic horizon. But much about them, and their rollout in Canada, remains up in the air. Here’s what we know so far:

What are the leading candidates?

Manufacturers Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have all filed applications to have their vaccine candidates approved in Canada. Under a “rolling submission" process, producers hand over data — from animal tests, for example — as it comes rather than as a complete package.

That information includes how the vaccine candidates perform in different demographic groups and data about possible harms and risks.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical adviser at Health Canada, says final data packages for some vaccines are expected as soon as the next few days, and that the vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech could get the green light next month.

Why don’t we know when they’ll be distributed?

The Liberal government says the first vaccine shipments should start to roll off tarmacs and port terminals early next year, bound initially for priority groups, including seniors in long-term care homes and front-line workers. But much about the deployment process has yet to be announced.

Canada has struck purchasing deals with five pharmaceutical manufacturers, and agreements in principle with two more, paving the way for at least 194 million vaccine doses if all their products are eventually approved. But remaining question marks include which vaccines will pass muster and when and how details of provincial allocations from Ottawa will be nailed down.

Meanwhile, the country's limited manufacturing capacity has curtailed domestic vaccine production options and resulted in greater dependence on vaccines made in foreign countries, which tend to prioritize their own citizens.

What are the logistical hurdles?

Distributing a vaccine poses massive logistical challenges. The unprecedented process involves providing up to two doses of a vaccine — which the leading candidates require instead of just one — to nearly 38 million Canadians spread across a vast country within several months. Ottawa is taking the lead on procurement and overall distribution, but on-the-ground delivery will be handled by the provinces, creating a complex deployment chain.

Some vaccines are easier to move around than others. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be transported and stored at -70 C to remain effective, which would slow its rollout, though Ottawa has already purchased some cold storage for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Moderna vaccine candidate also requires freezing but not at the same temperature as the Pfizer candidate.

AstraZeneca's vaccine is even less finicky about storage temperature but the company said Thursday that promising results from its clinical trials need further validation.

Meanwhile the government is trying to contract transport companies for vaccine shipments. On Friday, Trudeau named Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who commanded NATO troops in Iraq, to head up the Canadian military's role in co-ordinating logistics and lead the vaccine's eventual rollout across the country.

Experts believe more than half of Canadians will be inoculated by September “if all goes well,” Trudeau said.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Budget 2021 Pairs Fiscal Responsibility with Strong Community Investment

Budget 2021 Pairs Fiscal Responsibility with Strong Community Investment
Despite the challenges that have been brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Surrey’s Budget 2021 is balanced in accordance with the Local Government Act and the Community Charter.

Budget 2021 Pairs Fiscal Responsibility with Strong Community Investment

B.C. police put down pit bulls after farm attack

B.C. police put down pit bulls after farm attack
Cpl. Madonna Saunderson says police were called Sunday morning after receiving a report that dangerous dogs were attacking livestock at the farm.

B.C. police put down pit bulls after farm attack

Wind and snowfall warnings up for B.C.

Wind and snowfall warnings up for B.C.
Wind warnings have been issued for Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and the Southern Gulf Islands.

Wind and snowfall warnings up for B.C.

Beijing blasts Rae over 'genocide' allegations

Beijing blasts Rae over 'genocide' allegations
During a news conference in Beijing Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described Bob Rae's comments as "ridiculous," adding that Canada itself better fits the description of having perpetrated a genocide.

Beijing blasts Rae over 'genocide' allegations

Vancouver Police arrests suspect in Saturday night homicide

Vancouver Police arrests suspect in Saturday night homicide
The murder happened at about 9 p.m. near East 57th Avenue and Prince Edward Street. The victim, 34-year-old Damien Franklin Leung, was rushed to hospital but later died.

Vancouver Police arrests suspect in Saturday night homicide

Liberals agree to back off delay tactics on WE

Liberals agree to back off delay tactics on WE
Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez says his party has agreed to send unredacted documents linked to the controversy to the parliamentary law clerk, who will then decide what information needs to be blacked out to protect personal privacy.

Liberals agree to back off delay tactics on WE