Sunday, June 14, 2026
ADVT 
National

Fourth vaccine approval expected in days

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Mar, 2021 09:28 PM
  • Fourth vaccine approval expected in days

Health Canada is just "days away" from deciding whether to approve Johnson and Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine.

If that happens it will add a fourth option to Canada's efforts to immunize our way to an end to the pandemic and the first to require only one dose.

Coupled with a new recommendation Thursday that provinces delay second doses of the other vaccines up to four months, Canada is likely to be able to offer one dose of vaccine to every adult before Canada Day.

But that dosing recommendation, and confusion about whether the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is effective for seniors, have increased concerns more Canadians won't trust the vaccines enough to get in line when their turns come.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, the chief medical adviser at Health Canada, says she is concerned about vaccine hesitancy and of course would prefer it if the science around vaccines never changed.

But Sharma says that is not how science works and it would be irresponsible not to adjust the guidelines for vaccines as more data becomes available.

MORE National ARTICLES

Trump hints at easing Canada-U.S. travel limits

Trump hints at easing Canada-U.S. travel limits
President Donald Trump signalled Wednesday that he's prepared to support easing travel restrictions along the Canada-U.S. border sooner rather than later — although the feeling may not be mutual, given the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Canada is "doing well" in its efforts to control the spread of the virus, Trump said during his daily media briefing at the White House.

Trump hints at easing Canada-U.S. travel limits

B.C. woman charged after deliberately coughing on grocery clerk: RCMP Tissues and toilet paper aren't worth arrest

A woman is facing criminal charges after RCMP in British Columbia allege she coughed at a grocery clerk who would not let her buy extra tissues. Police say a store in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam has set a maximum amount of tissues and toilet paper each customer can buy as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on.

B.C. woman charged after deliberately coughing on grocery clerk: RCMP Tissues and toilet paper aren't worth arrest

Canadians drinking more due to stress, boredom during COVID-19

A study commissioned by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction suggests some Canadians are drinking more alcohol due to boredom and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The poll, conducted by Nanos Research, found 25 per cent of Canadians aged 35 to 54 and 21 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 34 say they have increased the amount of alcohol they drink while spending more time at home.    

Canadians drinking more due to stress, boredom during COVID-19

Ferries, orchestra retract layoffs, await subsidy

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and BC Ferries have rescinded lay-off notices in anticipation of receiving the Canadian government's emergency wage subsidies. Both BC Ferries and the symphony had planned layoffs to take effect on the Easter weekend as the COVID-19 pandemic drains away their businesses.

Ferries, orchestra retract layoffs, await subsidy

The Bank of Canada announced that it is holding its interest rate target at 0.25 per cent

The Bank of Canada announced that it is holding its interest rate target at 0.25 per cent
The Bank of Canada is warning that the downturn tied to COVID-19 will be the worst on record and that the economic recovery will depend on the effectiveness of current measures to bring the pandemic under control. The bank announced that it is keeping its key interest rate target on hold at 0.25 per cent, saying that it is effectively as low as it can go to combat the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The Bank of Canada announced that it is holding its interest rate target at 0.25 per cent

Liberals ease access to emergency COVID-19 benefit, plan to top-up wages

The federal government is making changes to its COVID-19 programs to send emergency aid to seasonal workers without jobs and those whose hours have been drastically cut but who still have some income. The changes will also allow people who are making up to $1,000 a month to qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, as well as those whose employment insurance benefits have run out since the start of the calendar year.    

Liberals ease access to emergency COVID-19 benefit, plan to top-up wages