Canada inks deal to accelerate deliveries of Moderna vaccine

OTTAWA — Canada on Tuesday announced an agreement to receive early deliveries of the Moderna Inc. COVID-19 vaccine amid a surge of new cases that are forcing new health restrictions across the country.

"Canada is now contracted to receive up to 168,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before the end of December, pending Health Canada approval," Trudeau said in a news conference.

Earlier this month, Canada brought forward some deliveries of the Pfizer/biontech vaccine, which received regulatory approval last week. Before these agreements, the first deliveries had been expected early next year.

"We have now confirmed that next week we will receive about 200,000 of our total early order of doses from Pfizer," he added.

Moderna's vaccine is under review by Canada's drug regulator, and Trudeau said its approval could come as early as next week.

Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia were poised to make their first vaccinations on Tuesday, and some 100 frontline healthcare workers were due to get shots in Ottawa, the capital, by the end of the day.

Several provinces have clamped down again on businesses and social gatherings amid the second wave, and Quebec — the hardest hit province — was expected to announce new business restrictions later on Tuesday.

Canada has so far reported 468,862 cases, with 6,731 new ones on Monday, and 13,553 deaths. Health officials warned last week that the country could see 12,000 new cases per day by January without new restrictions.

The country's economic recovery from the pandemic is at a very difficult stage and a second wave of coronavirus infections "could even deepen the economic hole," Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said on Tuesday.