By Canadian Press

Who have provinces pegged to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks?

May 19, 2021 | 2:04 AM

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a shot in the coming weeks.

Health Canada says up to 37 million doses of vaccine could be shipped in May and June, but only 20.3 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and 1.04 million doses of Moderna are confirmed. The remaining 11.3 million doses of Moderna, and another four million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca from various sources are still tentative. 

Provinces initially suspended giving AstraZeneca shots to people under the age of 55 based on an advisory committee’s advice, but their recommendation changed on April 23 to reflect that the shot is safe for anyone aged 30 and older. 

More than 655,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from  the global vaccine sharing alliance known as COVAX, are scheduled to arrive and be distributed to provinces this week, but most provinces have already said they plan to put them on ice in reserve for second doses.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says almost 50 per cent of eligible adults in Canada have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine.

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He says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is confirming they believe it is safe and effective to offer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to adolescents.

Health Canada authorized Pfizer for kids between 12 and 15 years old on May 5, after the company completed a clinical trial which found it was safe and 100 per cent effective at preventing kids in that age group from getting COVID-19.

Here’s a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: 

Newfoundland and Labrador

All people in the province aged 12 and older are now able to book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

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Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is stopping the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as a first dose.

The Health Department says the “decision is based on an abundance of caution” due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine.

The department also says it has enough mRNA vaccine to immunize people age 40 and older, and it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna “in a timely manner.”

People aged 35 and older can book appointments for the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines at clinics across the province.

Bookings opened May 17 for vaccine appointments for people 30 to 34 years of age, as the province reports having administered 430,856 doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of Sunday, with 39,235 people having received their second dose.

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Prince Edward Island

In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine.

People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine.

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New Brunswick

In New Brunswick, residents 18 and up can book appointments.

Individuals 16 and older who have two or more chronic health conditions are also eligible.

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Quebec

In Quebec, all residents 18 and older are able to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

The province’s health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be offered a first dose of COVID-19 by the end of June and will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September.

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Ontario

All adults in Ontario are eligible to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments as of May 18. 

People turning 18 in 2021 can book Pfizer-BioNTech shots. 

Appointments for children aged 12 to 17 can be booked starting the week of May 31. 

The province aims to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September.

The province is distributing shots to regions on a per capita basis, after two weeks sending half of its vaccine supply to hot spots for COVID-19 infections.

Ontario has halted use AstraZeneca for first shots due to an increased risk of a rare blood-clotting syndrome linked to the vaccine. Officials say a second dose plan for AstraZeneca recipients is in the works. 

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Manitoba

Manitoba is using the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for all people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. Health officials plan to continue reducing the age minimum, bit by bit, down to age 12 by May 21 at the latest.  

The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity.  

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Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan residents aged 16 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

A school immunization program for those aged 12-18 will be introduced in June, but eligible residents of that age can also be immunized at clinics offering the Pfizer vaccine.

Beginning Tuesday, anyone 85 and older, or anyone who received their first vaccine dose before February 15, is eligible to book their second dose.

Individuals diagnosed with cancer and solid organ transplant recipients will be receiving a letter of eligibility in the mail which will allow them priority access to a second dose.

The province says all Saskatchewan residents over 12 will be eligible for vaccination by May 20.

There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province.

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Alberta

Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine. 

As of May 18, more than half of all Albertans over the age of 12 had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province’s chief medical officer of health. 

Hinshaw has said that people who are immunocompromised can book a second dose three of four weeks after their first shot. All other Albertans are eligible to get their second dose three to four months after the first.  

For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible.  

Hinshaw has also said that health officials are looking at studies from the United Kingdom on people first vaccinated with AstraZeneca and then Pfizer. She said there are no safety concerns in mixing the vaccines, but she is waiting to see data on how effective it is. Once that data is available, Hinshaw said the province will decide if they will give people vaccinated with AstraZeneca a chance to get the Pfizer vaccine as a second dose.  

More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. Ten physicians’ clinics across the province are also providing shots as part of a pilot project. 

About 15,000 workers at 136 meat-packing plants across the province can also get shots at on-site clinics, pharmacies and clinics. 

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British Columbia

People who’ve had a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will have the option of choosing their second shot within a four-month interval in B.C.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are set to expire at the end of June and were reserved for people who may not be able to get an mRNA vaccine, such as the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech.

But she says more information that’s expected by the first week of June from a study in the United Kingdom on the effectiveness of switching vaccines for the second dose will be shared with B.C. residents.

“You will have the option of receiving the second dose of AstraZeneca and we have stock coming in to be able to support that,” she said Monday. “Or you can take the information once we have it and make your own decision about what you want for your second dose.”

Henry says an increase in the supply of vaccines in the coming weeks means everyone can expect to have their second dose moved up.

Details about vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 are expected to be announced later this week.

As of May 18, more than 2.5 million vaccine shots have been given, with 131,837 being second doses.

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Nunavut

Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says Nunavut has placed an order for doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with the federal government to vaccinate people ages 12 to 17 in the territory.

The Moderna vaccine is currently the only one available in Nunavut.

Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older.

It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada.

The territory had expected to finish its vaccine rollout of first and second doses by the end of April.

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Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17.

The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12.

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Yukon

The territory will start vaccinating children aged 12 to 17 on May 31.

The government says in a statement that clinics in most communities will be held in schools, while those in Whitehorse can get their shot at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre. The children will be getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The territory says because of limited supply and stricter handling requirements, the vaccine will only be available for a short time. 

It says second doses for those 12 to 17 will start on June 23 and medical travel will be supported for youth who aren’t able to make the clinic date in their community.

The government says more than 75 per cent of all eligible adults have now received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

That amounts to 26,242 adults who have received their first dose, while the territory says 23,236 have received their second dose.

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

The Canadian Press