Conservatives raise concerns about lack of clarity on 4-month delay for second Pfizer vaccine dose

Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement, issued the following statement about the new recommendation to delay the second Pfizer vaccine dose for four months:
“Today, Conservatives learned that Pfizer was not consulted on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recommendation to push the advised time between doses of COVID-19 vaccines from three weeks to four months. This recommendation sets a new precedent in the delay between doses, going against the schedules of other countries around the world.
“When asked about whether partial immunity from a four-month delayed second dose creates the conditions for vaccine-resistant strains to emerge, experts expressed concerns. This is a significant issue, and the federal government has yet to tell Canadians how they plan to prevent this in our country, given that their new advice is not backed by data.“We know from academic reports that the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants could become a concern if Canadians are only partially immunized from incomplete vaccination. The government must immediately explain how they plan to address these concerns in their vaccine rollout strategy, especially as it could lead to vaccine hesitancy.
“Pfizer Canada President Cole Pinnow said that the advice goes against Pfizer’s monograph guidance for optimal, safe, and effective use of the drug, saying it ‘creates concern, confusion, and potentially, hesitancy.’
“While Conservatives are relieved that vaccines are beginning to arrive in Canada, the delays caused by the government mean that Canada is behind other countries in its plan to reopen the economy.“We want the government to succeed in getting COVID-19 vaccines to Canadians, but, like the President of Pfizer, Conservatives are concerned that the Liberal government’s inability to explain their decision-making could lead to further vaccine hesitancy. This government has left health officials scrambling to extend the time between limited doses – will Canadians be the ones to pay the price?”
Office of the Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner,