8M COVID-19 vaccine doses arriving in Canada this month

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in Canada by the end of March.

The country’s vaccine rollout program is picking up speed with the approval of new shots. Trudeau says there were almost a million doses of vaccines received last week.

“This week we’re getting another million,” he said.

“More and more people are getting vaccinated every day. That means more grandparents, health-care workers, and vulnerable people are now safe. Our top priority is to get you your shot as soon as possible,” Trudeau added.

Vaccine deliveries are continuing to ramp up: will receive more than 3 million doses of vaccines over the next 3 wks for a total of 8 million doses before the end of March alone. https://t.co/nnQdTFXglr pic.twitter.com/nXnERE4No0

— Anita Anand (@AnitaOakville) March 9, 2021

He says the latest vaccine to be distributed is from AstraZenaca, and that 500,000 doses were being shipped across the country Tuesday.

Canada marked one year since the first death related to the coronavirus on Monday. The man in his 80s was a senior living at a North Vancouver care facility.

Trudeau has announced Mar. 11 as a National Day of Observance to honour everyone we lost to the pandemic.

“And to recognize the impact this global pandemic has had on all our lives. Around the world, more than 2.5 million people have died because of COVID-19 — 22,000 of them were our fellow Canadians,” he said. “They have been taken from us but they will not be forgotten.”

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam notes this week marks the one year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of the global pandemic.

As we continue to navigate the health crisis, she points out work continues to slow the spread of the virus.

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Tam says there are now more than 30,300 active cases of COVID-19 across Canada. An average of over 2,900 cases and close to 40 deaths were reported each day for the past week, she adds.

“During the same time period, over 2,080 people with COVID-19 were being treated in our hospitals each day, including almost 550 in critical care,” Tam explained, adding she’s felt a mix of emotions reflecting on the past year.

“It is a time of solemn remembrance of the cherished lives we have lost. At the same time, it is clear that our work is not done to honour the memories of those we have lost and appreciate the progress our sacrifice has afforded us,” she said.