Thursday, April 2, 2026
ADVT 
National

Pfizer first planned February rollout in Canada

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Mar, 2021 06:16 PM
  • Pfizer first planned February rollout in Canada

The president of Pfizer Canada says when the company signed a purchase agreement last August it didn't expect its vaccine to get approved here until February.

Cole Pinnow also told the House of Commons health committee today that changes to the dosing schedule and conflicting advice could make more people vaccine hesitant.

On Aug. 1, Canada signed an agreement with Pfizer to buy at least 20 million doses, with the option to buy 56 million more, and approval was not expected until early 2021.

Health Canada ended up approving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in December 2020.

Pinnow told the committee it was only in November that the federal government and Pfizer realized the approval could be imminent and began moving quickly to deliver doses to Canada months earlier than planned.

He also says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization did not contact Pfizer before it recommended changing delaying the second dose from three weeks to four months after the first shot.

MORE National ARTICLES

BC Liberals announce MLA critic roles

BC Liberals announce MLA critic roles
The team brings exceptional skills, energy, and a commitment to hold John Horgan and the NDP government to account. “As the Official Opposition, we have a responsibility to make sure this government deals with the critical issues facing British Columbians. 

BC Liberals announce MLA critic roles

Man dies in a targeting shooting in Surrey over the weekend

Man dies in a targeting shooting in Surrey over the weekend
Police found a “critically injured man” at the scene. He was attended to by paramedics but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

Man dies in a targeting shooting in Surrey over the weekend

The 2021 BC Housing Market Outlook & Updates

The 2021 BC Housing Market Outlook & Updates
Recent years have seen BC housing prices soar to unexpected heights, leaving many to believe it’s just a matter of time before the real estate bubble bursts. 

The 2021 BC Housing Market Outlook & Updates

B.C. says land registry makes market transparent

B.C. says land registry makes market transparent
Beginning Monday, any corporation, trustee or partnership that buys land in B.C. must disclose the interest holders of that land through the Land Owner Transparency Registry.

B.C. says land registry makes market transparent

Ottawa beefs up loans for hard-hit businesses

Ottawa beefs up loans for hard-hit businesses
The Liberal government's fiscal update sketches out a program that will provide low-interest loans of up to $1 million for badly hurt entrepreneurs.

Ottawa beefs up loans for hard-hit businesses

Feds promise national daycare in spring budget

Feds promise national daycare in spring budget
As a start, the Liberals are proposing in their fiscal update to spend $420 million in grants and bursaries to help provinces and territories train and retain qualified early-childhood educators.

Feds promise national daycare in spring budget