The Minister of Procurement for Canada told Windsor-Essex health officials to get ready for a severe ramp-up of vaccine delivery in the coming weeks.
Minister Anita Anand had a meeting with local health officials Thursday to discuss COVID-19 vaccine rollout moving forward.
"The ramp-up is going to be steep and we are going to be having many many more doses coming into this country for local health authorities," said Anand.
Over 400,00 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in Canada starting the week February 15, 2021. Deliveries of that volume are expected to continue on a weekly basis right through until the end of March.
After the first quarter even larger deliveries are expected to arrive. The minister confirmed 20-million doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are expected in the spring of 2021.
The government also has agreements in place with five other vaccine manufacturers. These vaccines are still under review by Health Canada. Anand said negotiations are ongoing to ensure rapid delivery of these vaccines should they receive approval.
To date, 18,452 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Windsor-Essex. However, only 6,690 people have been fully vaccinated.
Windsor Regional Hospital has had to delay administer second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to many health care professionals because a delay in the shipments.
"The vaccine deliveries into Canada are significantly ramping up now, and that means local health authorities are going to have the resources in place to administer second doses," said Anand.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is on track to complete its second doses of the Moderna vaccine to long-term care and retirement home residents by February 18. At this time, it is unclear when another shipment of the Moderna vaccine will arrive in the region.
While Anand is responsible for procuring shipments for Canada, it is ultimately up to the province to determine how many doses will be delivered locally.
