By Canadian Press

Pfizer first expected vaccine wouldn’t be approved in Canada until February

Mar 8, 2021 | 11:09 AM

OTTAWA — 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.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

17h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

Dec 12, 2024

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

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.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2021.

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press