Two extra COVID-19 vaccines within the works as Moderna jab arrives in B.C.

Article content material continued

According to a Health Canada database, each these purposes are nonetheless beneath assessment (whereas Pfizer and Moderna are permitted.)

Bach mentioned the U.Ok. authorities was anticipated to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine on Jan. 4, as that nation offers with a extra infectious COVID-19 variant.

He mentioned the AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t require freezing, making it a lot simpler to move than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, whereas the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was the one one of many 4 that requires simply as soon as shot (not two).

On Dec. 23 — the final time B.C. reported a day by day COVID-19 caseload — provincial well being officer Dr. Bonnie Henry mentioned she anticipated 240,000 British Columbians to be absolutely vaccinated (with each photographs 35 days aside) by the top of March.

She mentioned the Moderna vaccine was extra versatile than the Pfizer vaccine as a result of the 1,200 dose bins that it arrived in may very well be damaged into 100 doses after which shipped across the province (whereas requiring a decrease freezing temperature throughout storage.)

“So that means we can start to address some of the urgent needs that we have to protect people in some of our remote and isolated, particularly First Nations communities, and also residents of long-term care homes, where we know the virus is causing the most damage,” Henry mentioned.

She mentioned Pfizer had permitted B.C.’s plan to distribute that vaccine past the purpose of arrival, and that will begin this week.

Henry was given her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Dec. 22 from some extent of arrival in Victoria.