Canada is set to receive 500,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of January.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday that 125,000 doses of the vaccine should arrive every week.
“With the guaranteed millions of doses coming in 2021, every Canadian who wants a vaccine will get one, no matter where they live,” Trudeau said.
More than 7,000 confirmed cases of the virus were confirmed just yesterday, marking a new daily milestone as infections continue to climb at a worrying rate.
Two of the largest provinces — Ontario and Alberta — hit grim milestones, as well. Ontario marked a new record of daily cases, while Alberta saw its highest number of deaths in a single day since the pandemic began.
There is growing pressure to further tighten restrictions within the hardest-hit parts of the country, particularly as hospitals fall under increasing strain. Doctors in Ontario have called for further shutdowns, warning of bed shortages, and increased deaths should the number of patients continue to grow.
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Hospitals in Alberta and Quebec are warning of similar outcomes. Many have been forced to scale back health-care services and elective surgeries to attend to COVID-19 patients — an indication that things are headed for the worst, experts say.
The concerning numbers are starkly juxtaposed with the arrival of vaccines in Canada.
Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine has already been doled out in a number of provinces. A second vaccine, from Moderna, is expected to be approved by Health Canada soon with 168,000 doses set to arrive in the country before the end of the year.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also working toward issuing an emergency use authorization of the vaccine. U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence alluded to the imminent approval while he received his vaccination on Friday morning during a live televised event.
“The American people can be confident: we have one and perhaps within hours two safe vaccines,” Pence said.
The good news about vaccines has led many health experts, including Canada’s top doctors, to warn people not to let their guard down, especially as the busy holiday season approaches.
“It is important to remember that the vast majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19,” Canada’s chief medical officer Dr. Theresa Tam said in a statement Thursday.
— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
