Canada plans to distribute the nCoV vaccine

The Government of Canada divides people into priority groups because the initial doses of the nCoV vaccine may not be enough for the entire population of the country.

Canada has signed agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to own potential Covid-19 vaccine "candidates" in the world. Although they do not know whether these vaccines are effective and safe or not because no "candidates" have been completed yet, the Government of Canada has decided to buy about 20-72 million doses of each type to store. In the event that one, or several "candidates" from the above 6 pharmaceutical companies are not eligible for marketing authorization, the number of doses pre-booked will be lower than expected.

The National Immunization Advisory Committee (NACI) is responsible for advising federal and provincial governments on vaccine distribution. They did not directly propose determinants of the priority group to be distributed with Covid-19 vaccine, but still relied on the common Canadian anti-epidemic goals of reducing mortality, serious illness and social segregation. .

Ellen Rafferty, a health economist at the Institute of Health Economics in Edmonton, Alta, said there are a number of ways to tackle the problem of vaccine shortages for the entire population. She believes that high-risk groups should be prioritized because they are the most susceptible.

"There is a great deal of meaning in selecting people to receive vaccines. One of the factors that should first be considered is the group of high-risk people, including the elderly and those with specific medical conditions. However, sometimes the vaccination strategy for those around this at-risk group is more effective than just focusing on the vulnerable. And the 'people around' that I'm talking about. Here it is the medical staff who take care of their health, "she said.

A nurse is preparing an experimental Covid-19 vaccine given to a volunteer in London, England, in August 2020. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth / The Associated Press.

Choosing the first group to be vaccinated is usually not controversial. Very few experts have other opinions on this matter. However, it is less clear to see who comes second after the number one priority group.

According to Ms. Rafferty, if the goal is to reduce and end social disparity, outside of health care, people working in places with high risk of outbreaks are more likely to be next in the list. priority book. This group will include teachers, social workers, supermarket staff or chefs. Another factor that can be applied to the decision of the preferred audience is based on age.

Besides who is given priority to receive vaccines, the issue of how to quickly distribute them to these people is equally important. Even though there are enough doses for the number one priority group, it still takes some time for transportation to the required locations. Even some Canadians initially refused to be vaccinated. A non-profit survey by the Angus Reid Institute in early August found that about 30% of participants said they would wait a while, rather than immediately, even if the vaccine was available.

Despite the problem of distributing Covid-19 vaccine to its people, the Canadian government still signed an agreement to participate in the Covax Global Vaccine Access Program. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), so far nearly 200 countries have agreed to join Covax with the goal of ensuring "equal access" to the Covid-19 vaccine.