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In an email, the director of corporate affairs for Pfizer Canada did not answer a question as to whether it might stop some shipments because of Quebec’s vaccination plan.
“Pfizer and BioNTech’s Phase 3 study for the COVID-19 vaccine was designed to evaluate the vaccine’s safety and efficacy following a two-dose schedule, separated by 21 days,” Christina Antoniou said. “The safety and efficacy of the vaccine has not been evaluated on different dosing schedules as the majority of trial participants received the second dose within the window specified in the study design.
“Our focus is on continuing to work with the federal government’s national operations centre and the Public Health Agency of Canada to support the government’s COVID-19 vaccine implementation plan,” she added.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday Ottawa was exercising the option under its contract with Pfizer to purchase another 20 million doses. Canada has now agreed to buy 40 million doses from Pfizer and 40 million from Moderna.
To date, Quebec has vaccinated 99,510 health-care workers and residents of long-term care centres, representing more than 1.1 per cent of the population. The province is expected to receive more shipments of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the next few days.
Legault boasted in a tweet on Tuesday that Quebec is vaccinating more than any other province.
