Vaccine distribution based on previously signed deals by Ottawa: Alberta Health

With supply of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine reduced, getting additional doses from Moderna to fill in the gap is not a simple matter, according to a recent media release from Alberta Health.

The supply of vaccine and where it was coming from was pre-determined by the federal government, stated Alberta Health.

“We receive doses of the vaccine based on the agreement the federal government has signed with various manufacturers. There has been no delay or change to the Moderna shipments at this time,” said Tom McMillan, assistant director of communications for Alberta Health.

Earlier this month, Pfizer announced it would reduce for four weeks the supply of vaccine it had promised because it was expanding its production facility. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, responsible for co-ordinating Health Canada’s vaccine operations, said it will affect what the provinces were expecting in January and February.

McMillan says Alberta and other provinces are receiving limited shipments of the vaccine during the first few months of 2021.

A Government of Canada website provides details of the vaccine supply by manufacturer.

Distribution confirmed by Ottawa for Alberta by the week of Jan. 18-24 was 88,725 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and 34,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for a total of 122,725 doses. The total for the whole country was 779,025 of Pfizer/BioNTech and 340,200 of Moderna for a total of 1,119,225 doses.

The federal government forecasted it was expecting to supply Moderna vaccine to Alberta as follows: A total of 17,100 doses between Jan. 11 and 17 followed by 24,600 doses between Feb. 1 and 7 followed by another 27,000 doses at the end of February.

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