By Canadian Press

Alberta puts first doses on hold pending vaccine dose delivery improvements

Jan 18, 2021 | 10:06 AM

OTTAWA — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says his province is putting a pause on administering the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines because of the uncertainty about when more doses will start arriving in large numbers.

Kenney says he is “deeply disappointed” by pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s decision to cut back on promised deliveries of vaccine doses to Canada over the next four weeks, especially now that the expected slowdown for deliveries to Europe has been resolved.

Pfizer is trying to double its production of vaccine doses to two billion this year and is planning to temporarily curb production at its Belgian facility to make upgrades that will allow for that increase.

Canada appears right now to be the only country that will suffer from the decision for more than a week.

Pfizer told Europe Friday that delays to its dose deliveries would end Jan. 25, while Canada expects to be affected until mid-February.

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A Pfizer spokeswoman says there will be an update on Canada’s situation later today. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press