AstraZeneca vaccine authorized by Canada against COVID-19

Canadian regulators cleared AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine on Friday. it’s about the Third COVID-19 vaccine receives green light in Canada, after those of Pfizer and Moderna.

The Canadian Department of Health has approved the vaccine for use in people over 18. Some countries including France, authorized the AstraZeneca vaccine only apply to people under 65, under the argument that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that it works in the elderly. Belgium has even approved its use only for people 55 and under. General trials have shown the vaccine to be around 62% effective overall.

However, the North American country’s health minister said that after months of reviewing data provided by the pharmaceutical company, the drug does not present “major safety concerns and the vaccine was well tolerated by the participants” in clinical trials.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a press conference today that the authorization for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine “is very encouraging.” “It means more people vaccinated and sooner”added the Canadian leader.

Canada has agreed with AstraZeneca to purchase 20 million doses of the vaccine, which will arrive in the second and third quarters of the year. Like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, AstraZeneca requires two doses for vaccination.

But Trudeau revealed that his government had negotiated with India, one of the countries where the AstraZeneca vaccine is produced, the immediate purchase of 2 million additional doses of the vaccine.

In the past two months, Canada has suffered from vaccine supply problems contracted with Pfizer and Moderna, which has slowed vaccination campaigns in the country. Canada and many European countries have struggled to vaccinate populations at the accelerated rate of Britain, Israel, the United States and elsewhere.

The Canadian Department of Health has recommended that the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is given between four and 12 weeks after the first.

Canadian health authorities are also reviewing vaccines produced by Johnson & Johnson and Novavax to certify their use. Canada has secured 10 million doses of Johnson & Johnson, with option to purchase an additional 28 million doses.

However, the drug maker struggled to ensure delivery of the promised doses. This week he informed the United States government that if approved there – as is expected to happen over the weekend – he could immediately deliver between 3 and 4 million vaccines, instead of the 10 million promised.

According to the agency’s statement Bloomberg, Canada administered 4.5 doses per 100 people. 2.2 percent of the country’s 37.59 million people have received at least one vaccine, while 1.3 are fully vaccinated.

(With AP information)

MORE ON THIS TOPIC: