Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Major-General Dany Fortin will be the head of vaccine logistics and operations of the National Operations Centre, through the Public Health Agency of Canada.
“Canada is well prepared for large-scale rollouts of vaccines but this will be the biggest immunization in the history of the country,” Trudeau said. “We must reach everyone who wants a vaccine, no matter where they live.”
“Right now, we’re working closely with provinces and territories as well as Indigenous communities to ensure readiness to receive and distribute these vaccines.”
Trudeau did not provide any details around when the first COVID-19 vaccine could be approved and will begin distribution, but noted that most Canadians could be vaccinated by September.
“We are working extremely hard on approving vaccines,” the prime minister said. “We are hopeful that things are going to happen quickly but at the same time…we need to be able to say confidently that these vaccine are safe, which is why we’re very interested in what people around the world are doing, but Canadian experts and Canadian scientists will be driving the safety of Canadians every step of the way.”
“What really matters is when we get to cross the finish line and the fact that the doctors highlighted that if all goes according to plan, we should be able to have the majority of Canadians vaccinated by next September puts us in very good stead.”
