Canada has enough vaccine doses for all eligible Canadians, PM says

Canada has enoughCOVID-19 vaccine dosesto fully vaccinate everyone eligible in the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at aMoncton, N.B.,vaccine clinic thismorning.

The arrival of fivemillion doses this week will bring the totalto over 66million enough for all 33.2 million Canadians12 and older. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine.

"With enough doses for everyone, there's no more excuses not to get your shot," Trudeau said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the government hadset the end of Septemberas the date when all Canadians who want to be fullyvaccinatedwould be able to get both doses.

WATCH: Trudeau urges the eligible to get vaccinated

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urges eligible Canadians to get their COVID vaccines

3 years ago

Duration 1:20

Trudeau says those who are still hesitant should get the vaccine to avoid putting themselves and others at risk.

"Not only have we kept that promise, but we've delivered it two months ahead of schedule," Trudeau said.

This week's shipmentincludes 3.6 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as well as 1.4 million doses of the Moderna vaccine.

According to the government's most recent data released last Friday, 57.45 per cent of Canadians 12 and over are fully vaccinated, and 79.66 per cent have received at least one dose.

At a separate announcement in Milton, Ont. representatives of Pfizer and Moderna said studies on vaccinating those under age12are ongoing.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said today that the government expects to have sufficient supply to cover additional age groups by the end of September.

WATCH:Procurement Minister Anita Anandtells CBC's Power & Politics that demand has waned for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

'We have heard from the provinces that the demand isn't there for J&J vaccines': Anand

3 years ago

Duration 1:45

Procurement Minister Anita Anand joins Power & Politics to discuss the latest on the 10 million doses that Canada has ordered of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Questions over vax hesitancy, passports

While Canada now has enough doses, the next challenge will be to get them to the six million Canadians who have not had a shot.

Those who are eligible buthave not yet received a dose have cited a number of reasons for their failure to get vaccinated including health and safety concerns that health authorities say are unfoundedandaccessibility issues,especially in rural Canada.

When asked about his government's plans to persuadethe hesitant, Trudeau pointed to government incentive measures such as thevaccine passport program which would allow the fully vaccinated to travel internationally.

"We're going to continue with ad campaigns, we're going to continue with provinces putting forward various incentive measures, we're looking at international vaccine credentials so that people who are fully vaccinated can travel around the world," he said.

"These are the things that people who are so hesitant are going to be missing out on, while at the same time they're putting themselves and their loved ones at risk of serious implications of this disease."