The Federal government has entered into an agreement with drug companies Pfizer and Moderna to secure millions of doses of vaccines when the time comes.
Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand says the next stage of the pandemic recovery is preparing Canadians for mass vaccinations when the time arrives.
Four experimental vaccine candidates exist already and are being tested through Pfizer.
She says a supply base of vaccines will be procured from both international and national suppliers.
“We are working on all possible fronts,” said Anand. “And diversifying our vaccine supply chains.”
The vaccine studies continue in the US. A timeline for when vaccines would be ready is not known currently.
Anand says Canada’s agreements with the two companies shows an aggressive approach for the country that will put Canadians at the front of the line when vaccines arrive.
The vaccines will still need Health Canada regulatory approval to safely vaccinate Canadians when the time comes.
Tune in at 10:00 AM! We’ll be announcing next steps regarding the procurement of vaccines for Canada
https://t.co/vOuyyUXPU3@NavdeepSBains https://t.co/nnzxTgvbms
— Anita Anand (@AnitaOakville) August 5, 2020
