The local medical officer of Health says an announcement by Pfizer about a reduction in the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses it will ship is concerning, but the actual effect for Guelph and area is not yet known.
On Friday, Canada's procurement Minister Anita Anand said Pfizer is temporarily reducing deliveries because of issues with its European production lines and will affect shipments to Canada.
Canada has received about 380,000 doses of the vaccine so far, and was supposed to get another 400,000 this month and almost two million doses in February.
In an emailed statement, Dr. Nicola Mercer said it is concerning news that Pfizer is slowing distribution.
As of Friday morning, WDG Public Health reports that a total of 1,384 vaccinations have been performed locally.
When the first shipment of Pfizer vaccines arrived, Mercer said WDG Public Health would use every dose it had and not put away two doses for each recipient. At the time she said she was confident in the supply that was promised.
"We are still trying ascertain how much impact it will have on our local vaccine program,” said Mercer in the statement on Friday.
WDG Public Health said it is currently unclear how the shortage will affect the local program but it will offer more details as they become available.
Anand said that while Pfizer says it will still be able to deliver four million doses by the end of March, that is no longer guaranteed.
"This is unfortunate. However such delays and issues are to be expected when global supply chains are stretched well beyond their limits," Anand said at a news conference Friday. "It's not a stoppage."
—with files from The Canadian Press
