COVID VACCINE

We know you have many questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. We have been carefully following the emerging science behind the vaccines. Please be careful about where you get your information, and know that your health and wellness is our only priority. 

Here is what we know and what you need to know: 

Our leading scientists approved the vaccine for use in Canadians. Health Canada, the organization responsible for making sure that vaccines and other products are safe and effective before being released for Canadians, has a world-class and robust review system.  

The vaccine review was conducted by our leading Canadian scientists.  

The vaccines work. A 95% efficacy level, as seen with the Pfizer vaccine, is as good as the results of the best vaccines we have for any disease, and even better than the yearly flu shot. In the randomized trial of the Pfizer vaccine, people who were vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus were about 20 times less likely to get sick with COVID-19 than those who were not vaccinated. 

The vaccines are safe. The vaccines approved so far seem to be very safe, comparable to other vaccines approved for use in Canada. 

Over 70,000 people were involved in the trials of the already approved Pfizer vaccine and the soon-to-be approved Moderna vaccine. The mRNA technology on which the vaccine is built started in the early 1990s. Canada is continuing to monitor the data as more people worldwide are vaccinated.

The vaccines are going to be available to more Canadians in the first few months of 2021. We are not in charge of availability, but understand that the plan is to start with people who are at highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. We will share what we know, and will be sure to communicate with you when you have the opportunity to get your vaccine. 

You can read more about the vaccines here:

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.canada.ca%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fphac-aspc%2Fdocuments%2Fservices%2Fpublications%2Fdiseases-conditions%2Fwhat-you-need-to-know-covid-19-vaccine%2Fwhat-you-need-to-know-covid-19-vaccine-eng.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0xzwm6GdZMX6y_1Xff32YRi9Dld0CcNyczyGMpw2qo7GiFJ7rgGxWfS5E&h=AT3Q-wGz4YMdT7RSg4SOcmk-uiURQhQ_t57Gfed3VhIxcK6HGAsaCDf2TRyJqWM9viw5FOuVP000RdX8G2usFWSIYAJspOhQe3bs3zJeBAusQVWLJoPGUHFnyihpTGeykw&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5b0%5d=AT1h-aoJpy8ZN-b_DHFtA0owVT8aNJqWmCaSYk8DWUnH_fCTPleCX7ij07uiepEKVvlaf1EWEdIu0inzDxHuXbunfmV0sDybqR_IgWf95vgDSK9mJFszNB–EouqPLL_Jz8CpuFvkZHV6FrrOaIpey13x7nm4RkAxH_sDVOHf3w0oqmL4HncprND-FrftEYG1WFN

You can read more about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/pfizer-biontech.html?fbclid=IwAR2huozQ5NZ8aKAw64JRdLZEBTWbVe5L-8flSrbTsKOPFpvNmmOLcG5AEBw

If you have any concerns at all about the vaccine, please reach out to us.

Denise Waddick

Executive Director