Canada also begins COVID vaccine rollout... First vaccination for elderly residents in nursing homes

80% of Deaths Occur in Nursing Homes...Focused Vaccination Expected
Canadian Government Secures Vaccine Supply Equivalent to 10 Doses per Person

On the 14th (local time), grandmother Giselle Lebecque (89), selected as the first recipient of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in Canada, receives her vaccination. Quebec (Canada) = EPA · Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] On the 14th (local time), when the United States began COVID-19 vaccinations, Canada also started its first vaccinations. The first vaccine recipient in Canada was an elderly woman residing in a nursing home, as most COVID-19 deaths in Canada occurred in nursing homes. The Canadian government has secured enough vaccines for about 10 doses per person and plans to complete nationwide vaccinations by September next year.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press, on this day, Giselle Lebeque (89), a resident of the Saint-Antoine nursing home in Quebec City, Quebec, was selected as the first recipient of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Canada and received the vaccine at the nursing home around 11:25 a.m. Lebeque’s family reported that she said in an interview after vaccination, "I was definitely chosen." The Canadian authorities selected nursing home residents as the first vaccination target because more than 80% of COVID-19 deaths in Canada were related to nursing homes.

On the same day, Ontario authorities selected five nursing home workers, including two nurses, as the first vaccine recipients. One of the vaccinated, nursing home nurse Colette Cameron, told The New York Times (NYT) in an interview, "I am overwhelmed," and added, "I hope everyone receives this kind of support so that no one feels alone anymore." The New York Times reported that applause and camera flashes erupted at the moment of vaccination, and some people shed tears.

The first batch of Pfizer vaccines secured by the Canadian government is reported to be enough for about 30,000 people. The vaccines arrived at Montreal Airport the day before, were stored in freezers, and distributed to 14 regions across Canada. Canada, with a population of 38 million, purchased about 76 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and became the third country in the world, after the UK and Bahrain on the 9th, to approve the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine.

In addition to Pfizer, the Canadian government has signed vaccine purchase contracts with six other pharmaceutical companies including Moderna and AstraZeneca, securing about 10 doses per person. It is reported that surplus vaccines will be donated to other underdeveloped countries. The Canadian government plans to vaccinate 3 million people by the first quarter of next year and complete vaccinations for most of the population by September.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.