Prime Minister Trudeau announced on Monday that the first COVID-19 vaccine doses for Canadians will arrive this month.
In a press conference from Ottawa, Trudeau said 249,000 doses are going to ship from U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer by the end of December. The initial shipments are expected to arrive by next week.
The Prime Minister assured the public that approval processes are being taken diligently and any vaccine that is distributed is safe.
“These vaccines don’t get approved unless they’re safe for Canadians,” Trudeau said. “Health Canada will make its own internal decisions based on what is safe for Canadians.”
He also took time during the announcement to reiterate his government’s support for a universal child care system, citing COVID-19’s disproportionate effects on women.
On Thursday, the federal government said they expect 3 million Canadians to be vaccinated in early 2021.
In addition to the Pfizer vaccine, Ottawa is moving to approve and acquire vaccines from Moderna, another American pharmaceutical company.
