AstraZeneca approval will speed up Manitoba vaccine rollout, task force head says

The approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine will speed upManitoba's timeline for vaccinating all eligible age groups, but how much of an impact it has remains to be seen, says the head of the provincial government's vaccine implementation task force.

"This is great news for our timelineandreally does pushus closer to our high-supply scenario" for future vaccination rollout, Dr. Joss Reimersaid during a media briefing Friday.

Health Canada announced earlier Friday it had approved the vaccine developed byOxford University-AstraZeneca, clearing the way for millions more doses of vaccine to come into the country.

Manitoba is basing its vaccine eligibilityfor members of the general public on age, starting withthe oldest Manitobans and gradually working down.

The vaccine task force has released two separate timelines for when it expects to immunizeeach age group, under low- and high-supply scenarios.

Under the low-supply scenario which assumedusing only the previously approvedPfizer-BioNTechand Modernavaccines the province estimatedit would complete vaccinations by the end of November.

Under the high-supply scenario, which assumed a third vaccine would become available, the province could complete vaccinations by the end of August.

WATCH|Dr. Joss Reimer says Health Canada approval of AstraZeneca is 'great news':

Dr. Joss Reimer says Health Canada approval of AstraZeneca is 'great news'

4 years ago

Duration 1:14

Dr. Joss Reimer, head of Manitoba's vaccine implementation task force, said Friday the approval of AstraZeneca adds another tool in the province's toolbelt to help roll out vaccines quickly.

Easier storage, lower efficacy rate

AstraZeneca'svaccine doesn't have to be stored at the exceptionally low temperatures required forPfizer-BioNTech's and Moderna's vaccines.

The AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored and transported at normal refrigerated temperatures of 2to 8 Cfor at least six months, which means it can be administered in a wider range of settings, such as physicians' offices and pharmacies.

Health Canada regulators have determinedthenew vaccine to be 62 per centeffective at preventinginfection, which isless effective than thePfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

However, the shot is 100 per cent effective in preventing the severe outcomes of COVID-19 including serious illness, hospitalizations and death the regulators said.

"I think that's the most important factor, is it kept peopleout of the ICU,and it kept people off of ventilators,"said virologist Jason Kindrachuk, an assistant professor in the department of medical microbiology at the University of Manitoba.

The availability of multiple vaccines raises the possibility people might be reluctant to take one if they know it has a lower efficacy rating, which poses challenges forpublic health messaging, he said.

"The most important factor right now for us [is]it's keeping peopleout of the hospital, and aswell trying to curb transmission. TheAZ vaccine actually looks really good in bothof those regards."

Dose numbers still unknown

It'stoo soonto knowhow much the AstraZeneca approval will alter Manitoba's vaccinationtimeline, because no one knows yet how many doses the province willactually get.

"This is only goodnews as far as how long it willtake to reach all Manitobans," Reimer said.

"The more options we have and the more convenient it is for people to receive a vaccine, the more Manitobanswill be able to receive it before the end of summer."

Theprovince is in the process of determining who will be eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Health officials are waiting for the National Advisory Committee on Immunizations to release its recommendations.

Some countries in Europe have limited use of the vaccine to people under the age of 65,even though the World Health Organization saysthe product iseffectivefor all age groups.

Health Canadasaidclinicaltrial results "were too limited to allow a reliable estimate of vaccine efficacyin individuals 65 yearsof age and older," but was comfortable approving the vaccinedue toexperience in places its already been used.

WATCH| Health Canada's Dr. Supriya Sharma outlines efficacy of AstraZeneca vaccine:

Dr. Sharma outlines efficacy of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

4 years ago

Duration 3:10

Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canadas chief medical adviser, outlines why the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been approved in Canada.

"If it ends up being that we stick to a younger age cohort [for AstraZenecain Manitoba], then we'll have to make some decisions about who is highest risk in the younger age cohort,"Reimer said.

Like the Pfizer-BioNTechand Modernavaccines,AstraZeneca'srequires two shots. Health Canadahas recommended the second dose be administered four to 12 weeks after the first.

Reimer said Manitoba will look at the results of the trials and decide whether to continue with the current process of administering second doses within three to four weeks, or stretchingthat time period in order to get more first doses to Manitobans.

Around 500 physicians and pharmacies have applied to administer vaccines once a suitable candidate becomes available, and about 250 of those are approved and ready to go, Reimer said.

Doctors Manitoba issued a statement welcoming the approval of the new vaccine.

"This approval meansManitobansare one step closer to getting the vaccine from theirdoctor, a trusted medical professional who knows their health situation best,"president Dr. Cory Bailliesaid in the statement.

It's possible that AstraZeneca could be considered as part of a door-to-door vaccination campaign, to reach people who are unable to leave their home, but who don't live in a personal care home or other facility targeted by mobile immunization teams, she said.

WATCH | Full news conference on COVID-19 | Feb. 26, 2021:

Manitoba government daily briefing on coronavirus: Feb. 26

4 years ago

Duration 29:34

Provincial officials give update on COVID-19 outbreak: Friday, February 26, 2021.