BRIGADIER-GENERAL KRISTA BRODIE TAKES OVER CANADA’S VACCINE ROLLOUT PROGRAM

Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz,  CEO of Variety Village, John Capobianco, Senior Vice President & Senior Partner, FleishmanHillard HighRoad, and Charles Sousa, the former Minister of Finance for Ontario and Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga South.

As if Canada’s COVID-19 rollout program was not riddled with enough problems. Yes, in recent weeks we’ve seen supply ramp up and the program expand to more age groups, but it also comes at a time when Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin who was overseeing the national distribution program was removed from his post over an allegation of sexual misconduct from over 30 years ago. Yesterday, we learned that Brig-Gen. Krista Brodie will be taking over that position. Meanwhile, today the province is allowing all residents 18 years of age and older to book their vaccine appointment and it comes a week ahead of schedule. And, this week a supply of 4.5 million doses of vaccine that includes Moderna and Pfizer are coming to Canada this week. Our panel weighs in on the latest.

ONTARIO’S VACCINE SUPPLY AND ONGOING CONCERNS REGARDING ASTRAZENECA DOSES

Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Raywat Deonandan, Epidemiologist and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Ottawa and Dr. Gerald Evans, Chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Queen’s University.

Last week, we learned that Ontario would be pausing the first dose of AstraZeneca over an increase in cases of rare blood clotting linked to the vaccine and an increase in supply of Moderna and Pfizer. At the same time, we also know that the province is receiving 254, 500 additional doses of AstraZeneca this week and Ontario currently has 50,000 doses of this vaccine that have not yet been used. Yet, there is no clarity on whether these doses will be administered before they expire at the end of the month and beginning of June. Our health experts weigh in on the latest.