Coronavirus Update: Some provinces delay or pause vaccine program after Pfizer cuts deliveries

Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. Pfizer told Canada it would be cutting vaccine doses delivered in half over the next four weeks, forcing provinces to temporarily delay or pause their COVID-19 vaccination programs
2. B.C. health care staff have squeezed an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine out of 1,800 vials, allowing more individuals than expected to be vaccinated
3. A dedicated pandemic hospital will be opening just north of Toronto to handle any surge in patients as Greater Toronto Area hospitals reach their capacities

In the last 7 days, 46,880 cases were reported, down 17 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 1,034 deaths announced, up 2 per cent over the same period. At least 4,491 people are being treated in hospitals and 623,031 others are considered recovered.

About 74 per cent of the 824,439 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 1.6 doses for every 100 people in Canada.

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Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Lockdown rules and reopening • Canada’s vaccine distribution plan • Developing/approved vaccines • Pfizer’s vaccine, explained • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario will open a new hospital in Vaughan dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients and managing those from other hospitals when it opens on Feb. 7. Meanwhile, testing is under way to see if the British variant of coronavirus is present in a long-term care home where nine have died and more than 100 coronavirus infections were reported in little more than a week. Also, the province’s top doctor says daily COVID-19 case counts must drop below 1,000 before lockdown measures can be lifted. The province reported 2,578 cases today.
• Some COVID-19 restrictions are easing in Alberta, with personal and wellness services able to reopen by appointment. The province’s top doctor said easing the rules is a test case, and the case numbers will have to be lower before any other restrictions are loosened. The province reported 750 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday and 19 more deaths. Meanwhile, the Canadian women’s hockey team has opened a 35-player camp.
• British Columbia vaccinated 1,800 people earlier than expected by using extreme precision to get six shots out of a five-dose vial.
• High-school students in Quebec returned to school in-person today after a month-long extended winter break. Primary schools reopened in the province last week. The province reported 1,634 new COVID-19 cases today.
• New Brunswick reported 26 new COVID-19 infection today, and the Edmundston region moved into red alert, requiring businesses to close or reduce operations for non-essential activities. The province is struggling to contain the latest surge in coronavirus cases.

Canada will be waiting longer than the European Union for deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, despite commitments last week that every country that had purchased doses would be “affected equally” by the companies’ delays.

• On Friday, Ottawa announced vaccine deliveries to Canada would be cut by half for a four-week period starting Jan. 25 as Pfizer retools its Belgian manufacturing plant.
• Now at least three provinces – Manitoba, Ontario, and Alberta – are temporarily delaying or pausing COVID-19 vaccination programs.
• However, Canada’s deliveries after the partial pause will be bigger than previously expected so Pfizer can fulfill its contract to deliver four million doses by the end of March.

Coronavirus around the world

• The world is on the brink of “catastrophic moral failure” in sharing COVID-19 vaccines, the head of the World Health Organization said, urging countries and manufacturers to spread doses more fairly around the world.
• A growing army of volunteers has pushed Britain’s vaccination effort harder and faster than anyone expected.
• Four more Australian Open participants, including one player, have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Governments around the world “failed” in their early response to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a World Health Organization report.
• U.S. President Donald Trump is planning on lifting COVID-19 travel restrictions on travellers arriving from Europe, Britain and Brazil, sources say.

Coronavirus and business

Canada’s GDP is expected to reach its prepandemic growth levels within a year, according to a panel of economists.

• “The eventual ramp-up in vaccine distribution offers hope of a strong economic rebound in the second half of the year,” one economist said.

Also today: The vacancy rate for Toronto apartments hit 5.7 per cent – a record high – as slower immigration and fewer international students contributed to decreasing rent prices.

Globe opinion

• André Picard: Hospitals and long-term care homes desperately want workers to get the vaccine. But can they be forced?
• Cathal Kelly: “We’re all in this together,” except apparently tennis players are not.
• Audrey Steenbeek and Jeff Karabanow: For Canada to achieve equity of COVID-19 vaccine access and to control this pandemic, individuals who experience homelessness must not be left out, nor the last to gain vaccine access.

More reporting

• Managing: Are you ready for remote work 3.0?
• The Globe Craft Club livestreams DIY demonstrations

Information centre

• When will a COVID-19 vaccine be available in Canada? How well do they work? Here’s what you need to know.
• Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
• Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating.
• Find answers to your coronavirus and employment questions.

Sources: Canada data are compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins University and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data are from Johns Hopkins.

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