COVID-19: Vaccine Tracker

On December 9, 2020, just nine months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic, Health Canada authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine for use in Canada. This milestone, which may soon be followed by other vaccine approvals, is a crucial step towards a distribution campaign that will reach from coast to coast to coast.

Vaccine mobilization will involve a significant number of stakeholders and all levels of government. McCarthy Tétrault is closely monitoring the development of COVID-19 vaccines and their rollout across the country and the world in real time, and we will update this tracker as events unfold. If you require any assistance, please reach out to Awanish Sinha, Matthew Kelleher, or Kate McNeill-Keller.

This roundup was last updated on December 11, 2020.

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Table of Contents:

• International
• Canada (Federal)
• British Columbia
• Alberta
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Québec
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• Yukon
• Northwest Territories
• Nunavut

• December 11, 2020: Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said that their potential COVID-19 vaccine would undergo further study in February 2021 after trials showed an insufficient immune response in adults over 50. This will delay the vaccine's potential launch until the end of 2021 (link).
• December 10, 2020: The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom advised that people with a history of significant allergic reactions should not receive the Pfizer vaccine after two NHS workers had allergic reactions on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. Several thousand vaccines have been administered since the rollout began. Both individuals are recovering (link).
• December 8, 2020: The United Kingdom began the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine to the public, launching the global COVID-19 immunization effort (link).

• December 10, 2020: The Prime Minister announced that the Federal Government would cover costs associated with COVID-19 vaccines, including the costs to administer them (link).
• December 10, 2020: The Public Health Agency of Canada announced that it is implementing a no-fault vaccine injury support program for all Health Canada approved vaccines. This program, in collaboration with all provinces and territories, will provide Canadians with support in the event of an adverse reaction to a vaccine (link).
• December 9, 2020: Health Canada announced its approval of the Pfizer vaccine, becoming the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada (link).

• December 7, 2020: The Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced that Canada will receive up to 249,000 Pfizer vaccine doses in December 2020, contingent upon Health Canada's approval of the vaccine (link).

• December 4, 2020: The Government of Canada released a guide outlining the federal government's immunization plan. The plan is comprised of seven key elements and the roles of key stakeholders in the plan (link).

• December 10, 2020: The Provincial Health Officer stated that the Ministry of Health is working with the RCMP to protect vaccine transportation after receiving information about efforts to sabotage immunization programs (link).
• December 9, 2020: The Provincial Health Officer announced that the province plans on immunizing 400,000 people by the end of March, with priority given to residents and staff of long-term care homes and and health-care workers. By April 2021, prioritization will include teachers, grocery store workers, firefighters, and people working in food processing facilities (link).
• December 9, 2020: The Government of British Columbia announced that a COVID-19 vaccine registration and record system is in development. The system will include a process to register for vaccine access and receive a formal immunization record (link).

• December 9, 2020: The Government of British Columbia announced that the first round of 4,000 vaccinations will begin during the week of December 14, 2020 at two sites in the Lower Mainland, expanding to nine sites by January 2021. The initial vaccinations will be administered to Lower Mainland health-care workers in long-term care homes and front-line health-care workers essential to the COVID-19 response (link).

• December 9, 2020: The Government of Alberta announced that its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive during the week of December 14, 2020. The initial vaccinations will focus on health-care workers at high-risk facilities, expanding to other health-care workers in January 2021. Eight locations across the province are equipped to store the vaccine. Phase 1 of the province's rollout, focused on other priority groups, will begin in January 2021(link).

• December 7, 2020: Government officials told the CBC that the first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine to the province will contain 3,900 doses (link).

• November 28, 2020: The Premier stated that COVID-19 vaccination will not be mandatory (link).

• December 9, 2020: The Government of Saskatchewan released its COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Plan, with the first shipment containing 1,950 Pfizer vaccine doses expected to arrive by December 15, 2020. The initial vaccines will be delivered to health-care workers providing direct care to COVID-19 patients. The first phase of the Delivery Plan following the initial shipment will focus on higher-risk populations and will begin in December 2020. 202,052 vaccine doses are expected within the first quarter of 2021 (link).

• December 1, 2020: The Health Minister said that COVID-19 vaccination will not be mandatory (link).

• December 10, 2020: The Government of Manitoba announced that it will launch a COVID-19 immunizer micro-credential course on December 15, 2020. Participants in the free, eight-hour course will learn about safe COVID-19 vaccination procedures. The Premier has encouraged retired health-care workers, students, and others that meet a baseline of skills and knowledge to take the course to update their vaccine knowledge and skills and join the province's vaccine campaign (link).
• December 10, 2020: The Office of the Premier said that it received confirmation from federal officials that it would receive 15 per cent extra doses of the Moderna vaccine because of the province's comparatively high Indigenous population. Adults living in Indigenous communities are considered a priority at-risk population (link).
• December 9, 2020: The Province of Manitoba announced its initial COVID-19 vaccination plan, with the first shipment of containing 1,950 Pfizer vaccine doses arriving during the week of December 14, 2020. The initial vaccinations will be provided to front-line health-care workers in critical care units. Future vaccines will first be provided to priority groups recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Manitoba has set up its first immunization clinic in Winnipeg, with six other municipalities also opening clinics over the next three months. Manitoba expects to receive 228,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine by the end of March 2021 (link).

• December 10, 2020: The chair of Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force said that the province would receive 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on December 14, 2020. Health-care workers in Toronto and Ottawa will be the first recipients. The chair also said that the province now expects to receive 90,000 Pfizer vaccine doses by the end of December and as many as 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, provided that it is approved in the coming weeks (link).
• December 7, 2020: The Premier announced that Ontario could receive its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine during the week of December 14, 2020, with 85,000 doses expected this month. The chair of Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force stated that Ontario's vaccination program would occur in three phases, with Phase 1 focused on those most vulnerable to COVID-19. Ontario expects to receive 2.4 million vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna during Phase 1, which will occur during the first three months of 2021 (link).

• December 7, 2020: The Government of Ontario announced the key groups to receive the initial COVID-19 vaccines. The groups, including long-term care home residents, health workers, and adults in Indigenous communities, align with those recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (link).

• December 1, 2020: The Health Minister said that COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary (link).

• December 9, 2020: The Premier, as well as health officials, have maintained that COVID-19 vaccination will not be mandatory (link).
• December 7, 2020: The Health Minister announced that Québec expects to begin vaccinating long-term care home residents on site during the week of December 14, 2020 if the Pfizer vaccine is approved by Health Canada. 4,000 doses are expected in the initial shipment. The Health Minister expects up to 28,000 immunizations by January 4, 2021 and up to 650,000 vaccinations in the first three months of 2021 if the Moderna vaccine is approved. Public vaccinations will occur at more than 20 locations (link).

• December 7, 2020: The National Institute of Public Health of Québec proposed an order of priority of groups for vaccination, establishing 12 levels of priority. Long-term care home residents and health-care workers will be prioritized (link (FR)).

• November 17, 2020: The Public Health Director said that the possibility of mandatory vaccination was "very, very low" (link).

• December 9, 2020: The Premier said that the province was not considering the adoption of "immunity passports" as proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The Premier previously said that the vaccine will not be mandatory (link)
• December 9, 2020: The Health Minister announced that the province is prepared to receive its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, containing 1,950 doses, during the week of December 14, 2020. The province's vaccine committee expects to highlight which high-risk groups will receive the first doses by the time the shipment arrives (link).

• December 10, 2020: The Health Minister announced the province's priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccine. The groups include long-term care residents and staff, staff from Provincial Rapid Outbreak Management Teams who respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, Extra-mural/Ambulance New Brunswick staff, health-care workers, First Nations nurses, and seniors 85 and older (link).
• December 8, 2020: The Government of New Brunswick confirmed that its first shipment of Pfizer vaccines, containing 1,950 doses, would arrive during the week of December 14, 2020 with a second shipment before the end of the year. The province will use its entire first shipment to provide initial shots, with the second dose coming from subsequent deliveries (link).

• December 8, 2020: The Government of Nova Scotia announced that it would receive its first shipment of Pfizer vaccines, containing 1,950 doses, during the week of December 14. The province will begin immunizing health-care workers most directly involved in the COVID-19 response once the vaccine is approved by Health Canada. The vaccination focus during early 2021 will be on long-term care residents and staff, seniors 80 and over, and other health-care workers. The Government also announced that it expects the Moderna vaccine to arrive later this month (link).

• December 8, 2020: The Chief Public Health Officer stated that P.E.I. expects to receive its first Pfizer vaccine shipment, containing 1,950 doses, during the week of December 14. The province will begin administering doses the day after arrival if the vaccine is approved by Health Canada, beginning with priority groups including long-term care residents and staff, adults 80 and over, health-care workers, and adults in Indigenous communities (link).

• December 10, 2020: The Government of Yukon released the territory's COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy and announced that "all eligible, adult Yukoners" who want to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will have access to one at no cost in early 2021 (link).
• December 7, 2020: The Prime Minister said that "significant logistical challenges" associated with the Pfizer vaccine mean that it will not be distributed to the territories at this time. If approved, the Moderna vaccine is the preferred alternative with shipments expected to the territories in early 2021 (link).

• December 7, 2020: The Prime Minister said that "significant logistical challenges" associated with the Pfizer vaccine mean that it will not be distributed to the territories at this time. If approved, the Moderna vaccine is the preferred alternative with shipments expected to the territories in early 2021 (link).

• December 4, 2020: The Chief Public Health Officer said that he did not expect Nunavut to get any Pfizer vaccines due to its storage and shipping requirements. If approved, the Moderna vaccine is the preferred alternative with shipments expected to the territories in early 2021 (link).

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