Vaccine vials may yield extra doses
Ontario hit a record Thursday for new daily COVID-19 cases as hospitals urged a month-long lockdown, while tougher restrictions took effect in Saskatchewan and a vaccine maker said vials may yield more doses than expected.
Priority groups such as health- care workers and seniors began receiving Canada's first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week.
“The amount of any excess vaccine left in the vial can vary based on provider technique and ancillary supplies,” said Pfizer Canada spokeswoman Christina Antoniou in an email.
“There may be excess vaccine in the vial after withdrawal of five doses, which in some cases may leave enough volume for an additional dose.”
In the U.S., it was reported that the Food and Drug Administration approved use of the extra doses. News website Politico reported the extra amounts could increase the vaccine supply in the U.S. by 40 per cent.
Health Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Canada's most populous province reported 2,432 new infections and 23 deaths. To protect the health-care system from a surge in patients, the Ontario Hospital Association pushed for a four-week lockdown in every public health unit with an infection rate of 40 or higher per 100,000 people. It called the situation “extremely serious.”
“We are now in the holiday season and if members of the public choose to ignore public health measures and gather outside their households, the consequences risk overwhelming Ontario's hospitals,” the as
THE AMOUNT OF ANY EXCESS VACCINE LEFT IN THE VIAL CAN VARY
sociation said.
In Saskatchewan, residents woke to new public health orders that include no longer having guests in their homes, with a few exceptions. It's one of several new rules in place until at least Jan. 15.
There is also a 10-person cap on outdoor socializing. Starting Saturday, bingo halls and casinos must also close, and personal care services, such as hairdressers, have to cut their capacity in half.
Retailers have until Christmas Day before they also need to drop to 50 per cent capacity. Larger stores will be limited to 25 per cent.
Seven more people in the province died of COVID-19, pushing total fatalities over 100. Saskatchewan recorded another 238 cases and 126 people were in hospital.
While new case numbers continued to generate concern, vaccinations continued across the country.
Meanwhile, Quebec was preparing to open another 21 vaccination sites by Monday in addition to two that opened earlier this week at long-term care homes in Montreal and Quebec City.
The province reported 1,855 new cases and 22 more deaths Thursday. There were also more than 1,000 people in hospital with the virus for the first time since June.