PHAC offers webinar on COVID-19 vaccine regulatory authorization process
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is offering a new webinar to provide information about the vaccine regulatory authorization from Health Canada.
Objectives:
- To share information about Health Canada's COVID-19 process to authorize vaccines
- To discuss the role of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) in vaccine guidance development
- To describe the technologies used by COVID-19 vaccine that may be available in Canada
A recording of the event which occurred on Feb. 23 will be made available here.
Presenters: Dr. Megan Bettle, Health Canada, Dr. Shelley Deeks, Vice Chair of NACI, and Dr. Marina Salvadori and Dr. April Killikelly, PHAC
The same presentation will be in French on Feb. 26.
The webinars will be recorded and available on the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) website immediately following each event. For any registration difficulties, please contact NCCID: nccid@umanitoba.ca
B.C. government to expand list of professions that can administer vaccines
On Feb. 23, 2021, Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a statement that she has made a Public Health Order to expand professions who can provide COVID-19 immunizations to include: dentists, midwives, pharmacy technicians, paramedics, retired nurses and other health professions.
Health Canada: Updates to Moderna COVID-19 vaccine's monograph and labels
The COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna product monograph has been updated with post-market adverse reaction information identified during pharmacovigilance activities. Anaphylaxis has been reported following COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna administration outside of clinical trials. This new information does not change the benefit-risk profile of this product.
In addition, the monograph and global English-only vial and carton labels have been updated with new product labelling information including a revised brand name, product common name, pharmaceutical dosage form, company address, company website address, and QR codes, alternative names for non-medicinal ingredients, as well as the addition of new statements. These product labelling updates are administrative in nature.
For more information, visit Health Canada's website.
Border crossing COVID-19 testing requirements come into effect
As of Feb. 22, 2021, travellers entering Canada at land borders are required to take a COVID-19 test using a self-swab kit. Self-swab kits will now be handed out at all of Canada's land-points of entry.
Kits will include instructions on how and when to collect the travellers' second-required test on day 10 of their 14-day quarantine.
It is also mandatory for travellers arriving at Canada's land ports of entry, unless exempted, to present proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result taken in the United States within 72 hours before entry into Canada or proof of a positive COVID-19 test conducted between 14 and 90 days before arrival.
Canada to receive 643,000 doses of vaccine this week
Canadian Minister of Public Services and Procurement Anita Anand said in an update on Feb. 23, 2021 that this week, Canada will receive a total of 643,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. By the end of this week, a total of 2.5 million doses of vaccine will have been delivered to Canada, and another 3.5 million are expected to arrive in the country in March.
Minister Anand also stated that her team is in contact with all offers of vaccines, including from distribution intermediaries, and are working with RCMP and vaccine manufacturers to source only legitimate supplies of vaccines for Canada.