An agreement allowing Canada to supply up to 80 million vaccines in the event of an influenza pandemic has been concluded between Ottawa and the supplier GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), announced Friday the Canadian Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos.
This contract will make it possible to have “timely access to safe and effective influenza vaccines in the event of an influenza pandemic”, he said, passing through the GSK vaccine production center in Sainte-Foy. The four-year agreement represents four million doses of seasonal flu vaccines.
In the event of an influenza pandemic, up to 80 million vaccines could be provided if two doses per person are recommended. “Pandemic influenza occurs roughly every 10 to 40 years,” recalled Mr. Duclos. The latter pointed out that the last episode dated back to 2009, with the H1N1 virus.
Climate change, deforestation, more frequent contact with natural environments and regular movements between countries and regions are causing “this kind of virus to evolve rapidly”, he also underlined.
Signing an agreement with a company that manufactures vaccines in Quebec will help avoid jeopardizing the supply due to possible border closures, trade disruptions or transportation problems, listed the minister.
The latter stressed the importance of carrying out a double vaccination campaign in the fall, both to protect against COVID-19 and the flu. “Our health system is weakened and our health workers are tired,” he said.
Further details will follow.
To see in video