I heard Canada has now approved a COVID-19 vaccine. What do I need to know?
We know you have a lot of questions. We delved into the answers.
Hey there, and welcome to the ninth issue of The Supplement, a newsletter that fills in the gaps of your other news intake. This is Sierra, one-third of the Supplement team!
Each week, we pick a question submitted by you, our readers. If you’d like to submit a question for a future week — it can seriously be about anything — then email us at thesupplementnewsletter@gmail.com. Check us out on Instagram, let’s be friends there too!
This week, we’re tackling this question: I heard Canada has now approved a COVID-19 vaccine. What do I need to know?
TL;DR: Despite some unknowns, there are pretty solid things about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine we’ve nailed down so far. Canadians will start getting injected as early as next week, starting with vulnerable populations. But we’ll still be social distancing and mask wearing for the foreseeable future. The goal is for Canada to be at 100% vaccination coverage by this time next year.
Here’s our answer (well, a few of them):
I have NOT been paying attention. What is happening now?
This week, Canada approved its first COVID-19 vaccine, which was jointly developed by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that 30,000 doses would arrive next week and up to 249,000 by the end of December. Health Canada has said their goal is 100% coverage by the end of September 2021.
Is a vaccine safe to take?
The federal health agency has labeled the vaccine safe. Some are scared by how quickly it was created, but you can learn more about the sped up process to understand it better. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that the trial saw low “serious adverse events,” meaning that very few people experienced serious health problems.
Health Canada’s chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma acknowledged that even the best vaccines are only effective when people trust them and ultimately agree to take them. “We concluded that there was strong evidence supporting that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks,” Sharma said.
So, can I get one shot and I’m good to go?
Experts recommend getting a booster dose three weeks after the first. And officials are warning not to expect life to return to normal right away. That means we’ll still be wearing masks and social distancing into the foreseeable future.
How many people need to get the vaccine for herd immunity to be effective?
Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said modelling indicates that “60 to 70 per cent of people need to be vaccinated,” but she acknowledged that the bottom line is that we just don’t know.
And while the vaccines are free, getting vaccinated remains a personal choice. Despite the voluntary nature of it, Ontario’s health minister Christine Elliott pointed to the possibility of restrictions placed on those who chose not to get vaccinated.
Is there a date when another batch of vaccines is set to arrive?
Besides Pfizer, Moderna Inc. is also waiting for approval on its COVID-19 vaccine. Canada expects the first 6 million doses from Pfizer and Moderna Inc to arrive before April 2021 — enough to provide 2 doses each for 3 million people of our 38 million population.
How can I get my grandmother on the vaccination list?
The current doses coming to Canada will be given first to our vulnerable populations, like seniors and remote Indigenous communities. Because there’s a limited number of doses to start, governments are looking to experts to help prioritize.
Once there are enough vaccines available, the deployment program will be expanded to more people — teachers, child-care workers and school staffers are asking to be prioritized next.
Also, WTF is happening in my province?
Health authorities in each province and territory will be responsible for deploying vaccines to their populations. The Globe and Mail has a glance at what each province has said so far about vaccine plans.
Only a few provinces have published their immediate plans. Saskatchewan expects a vaccine for 1,950 people by next week, and will inoculate healthcare workers caring directly for COVID-19 patients. Manitoba also expects to immunize 900 healthcare workers next week.
Here’s someone to follow:
Check out Brandi Morin (AKA @Songstress28 on Twitter). She’s an award-winning French/Cree/Iroquois journalist from Treaty 6, Alberta. You might recognize her from Al Jazeera English or the National Observer. But you’ll likely remember her work for helping spark change and reconciliation in Canada’s political, cultural and social worlds.
Here’s a story to check out:
Supplement your news this week with an explainer on the Indian farmer protests. Farmers in India have been protesting new legislation that they say could hurt their livelihoods. Canadians like those in Toronto and Vancouver have been rallying in solidarity — if you’ve seen convoys of cars or heard honking, that might be why.
