BC’s first batch of COVID-19 vaccine doses have arrived in the province.
The first delivery included approximately 4,000 doses and preparation is underway to immunize the first British Columbians in the coming days.
According to a media release from the province, these initial vaccine doses will be administered to health-care workers in the Lower Mainland who work in long-term care homes, and front-line health-care workers essential to the COVID-19 response.
Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health authorities are contacting staff to schedule the initial vaccine appointments.
“Starting the week of Dec. 21, vaccines will be delivered weekly to all health authorities. Expected timelines will depend on vaccine approval and availability. As vaccines become more available, they will be provided to other priority groups throughout British Columbia,” says the media release from the province.
A registration and record system are in development, including a process to register for vaccine access and receive a formal record of immunization.
Here it is. We're one step closer to British Columbians being immunized. Watch as the first COVID-19 vaccine arrives in BC. pic.twitter.com/N7u46DVw3V
— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) December 15, 2020
Health Canada announced on December 9th they had approved U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer’s submission was received by Health Canada on October 9th. After an independent review, the government agency said the vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech met their requirements.
Documentation on the approval decision, including information on possible side effects, has been made available to the public on the Government of Canada website.
The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in Canada on Sunday evening, and is being sent to 14 distribution sites across the country.
The vaccine must be kept at a temperature of -70 C to remain stable.
The vaccine’s initial approval is for use in people 16 or older. Further clinical trials are being run by Pfizer-BioNTech on children of all age groups, and the approval could be revised in the future to include children if the data supports it.
Three other vaccines, including one by U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna, are being reviewed.
With files from Tim Ford
