Vaccine waste minimal thus far: Health Canada

Health Canada says vaccine clinics are doing an "extraordinary" job preventing many doses of precious COVID-19 vaccine from going to waste.

Canada has received more than 1.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna since mid-December, and has now given at least one dose to more than 767,000 people.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with the provinces and territories to collect and provide data on #COVID19 vaccine doses administered, and who’s been vaccinated by priority population. For updates, visit: https://t.co/sSzvHmVU67 #COVID19vaccine pic.twitter.com/3r5mrdMCd5

— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) January 22, 2021

A spokeswoman says "wastage has been very minimal" and well below initial estimates.

Before the vaccination campaign began, there were concerns that as many as one-fifth of the doses delivered to Canada could end up being wasted due to intense cold-chain requirements and the complexity of distribution.

The federal department did not provide statistics but said provinces and territories are reporting their experiences and waste has not been an notable issue thus far.

Both vaccines have to be kept frozen, but the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is particularly delicate and must be stored at temperatures below -60 C until just before it is used.