TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2021) The Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, on Tuesday pleaded for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses from the United States in a direct appeal to incoming US President Joe Biden.
"My American friends: help us out. We need help once again," Ford said referring to Canada's shortage of personal protective equipment earlier in the year. "We need your support and we look forward to your support and that's a direct message to President Biden."
Ford's statement comes on the heels of an announcement by the country's vaccine distribution czar, Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin, that Canada will not receive any new shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week as Pfizer continues to retool production restructuring at its European facility.
Fortin said that he anticipates a considerable decline in delivery over the next three weeks - up to a 50 percent reduction - resulting in significant impact across all provinces.
Canada receives its vaccine supplies from Pfizer's European production facility after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prioritize domestic distribution of COVID-19 vaccines over their shipments to foreign countries.
Ford added that with the Trump administration on its way out tomorrow there is "no excuse" for the US continue to withhold vaccine supply. The premier also expressed his dissatisfaction with Pfizer, saying that other countries are receiving vaccine doses in spite of the logistical and production-related challenges.
Canada's vaccination regime has been the subject of strong criticism, with the latest data showing that only 640,000 doses have been administered to date - far below other nations, including Israel, Russia and the United States.
Last Thursday, the Fortin conceded that Canada will likely experience a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine doses through to the end of the first quarter of 2021.
Amid the shortage some health care providers have already begun canceling inoculation appointments.
