Who have provinces pegged to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks?

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies ramp up across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a shot in the coming weeks.

Health Canada says up to 37 million doses of vaccine could be shipped in May and June, but only 20.3 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and 1.04 million doses of Moderna are confirmed. The remaining 11.3 million doses of Moderna, and another four million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca from various sources are still tentative. 

Provinces initially suspended giving AstraZeneca shots to people under the age of 55 based on an advisory committee’s advice, but their recommendation changed on April 23 to reflect that the shot is safe for anyone aged 30 and older. 

More than 655,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from  the global vaccine sharing alliance known as COVAX, are scheduled to arrive and be distributed to provinces this week, but most provinces have already said they plan to put them on ice in reserve for second doses.

Health Canada, meanwhile, approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 12 and older on May 5.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says almost 50 per cent of eligible adults in Canada have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine.

He says by the summer, Canada will have enough vaccines so that every eligible resident will have gotten their first dose, and by September, it will have enough doses for everyone to be fully vaccinated.

Here’s a list of the inoculation plans throughout Canada: 

Newfoundland and Labrador

All people in the province aged 30 and older are now able to book an appointment for a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

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Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is stopping the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as a first dose.

The Health Department says the “decision is based on an abundance of caution” due to an observed increase in the rare blood-clotting condition linked to this vaccine.

The department also says it has enough mRNA vaccine to immunize people age 40 and older, and it will reschedule anyone who was to receive AstraZeneca to instead be inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna “in a timely manner.”

People aged 35 and older can book appointments for the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines at clinics across the province.

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Prince Edward Island

In Prince Edward Island, residents as young as 16 can book a COVID-19 vaccine.

People 16 years and older who have certain underlying medical conditions, pregnant woman and eligible members of their household can also get a vaccine.

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New Brunswick

In New Brunswick, all residents 30 and older can book vaccine appointments.

Individuals 16 and older who have two or more chronic health conditions are also eligible.

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Quebec

In Quebec, all residents 18 and older are able to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

The province’s health minister says Quebecers 12 to 17 years old will be offered a first dose of COVID-19 by the end of June and will be fully vaccinated by the time they return to school in September.

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Ontario

Ontario is due to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility again this week, opening up appointments to people as young as 30 across the province. The current age of vaccine eligibility is 40 across Ontario.

The government has yet to say which day the minimum age will drop.

The province aims to open appointments to all adults next week and says it’s developing a plan to vaccinate children aged 12 to 17 starting in June. It hopes to see all eligible Ontarians fully vaccinated by the end of September.

The province is also switching gears in how it distributes vaccines. It will now send the shots to regions on a per capita basis, after two weeks of sending half the vaccine supply to COVID-19 hot spots. 

The province, meanwhile, has announced a pause on using AstraZeneca for first shots due to an increased risk of a rare blood-clotting syndrome linked to the vaccine.

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Manitoba

Manitoba is using the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for all people aged 18 and up. These are available through a few channels including so-called supersites in larger communities. Health officials plan to continue reducing the age minimum, bit by bit, down to age 12 by May 21 at the latest.  

The province is also allowing anyone 40 and over to get an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through pharmacies and medical clinics, subject to availability. People 30-39 can get a shot if they have certain underlying health conditions such as chronic liver failure or severe obesity.  

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Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan residents aged 20 and older are now eligible to book their first COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

All adults – those 18 and older – in the Far North, as well as front-line workers with proof of employment, are also eligible.

The province previously expanded its vaccine delivery plan for people in more vulnerable groups to include all pregnant women and 16- and 17-year-olds who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable.

Saskatchewan also dropped the age at which people can receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to 40 from 55.

The province says all Saskatchewan residents over 12 will be eligible for vaccination by May 20.

There are drive-thru and walk-in vaccination clinics in communities across the province. 

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Alberta

Every Albertan aged 12 and older is now eligible for a vaccine.

For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the province lowered the minimum age to 30. They are, however, reserving the remaining supply for second doses when people are eligible. Officials say the second dose will be given 12 weeks after the first.

More than 250 pharmacies are offering immunizations. Ten physicians’ clinics across the province are also providing shots as part of a pilot project.

About 15,000 workers at 136 meat-packing plants across the province can also get shots at on-site clinics, pharmacies and clinics.

Alberta has said it is extending the time between the first dose and the second to four months. But some cancer patients, transplant recipients and anyone being treated with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody such as Rituximab are able to book a second dose 21 to 28 days after their first.

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British Columbia

All B-C residents age 18  and up can now book their COVID-19 shot.

Almost 2.4 million doses of the vaccines have been administered in the province, about 125,000 of those are second doses.

The province has said it will hold its remaining supply of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to use as second shots for people who initially received that vaccine.

Two people in the province have survived the blood-clotting disorder connected to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the government tracked almost 80,000 positive COVID-19 cases to assess the impact of vaccines.

Government data show more than 98 per cent of those who contracted COVID-19 were not vaccinated, 1,340 people who had their first shot tested positive and 120 people who had their second shot contracted COVID-19.

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Nunavut

Nunavut has opened vaccinations to anyone 18 and older.

It is also offering shots to rotational workers coming from Southern Canada.

The territory had expected to finish its vaccine rollout of first and second doses by the end of April.

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Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories is now offering vaccinations against COVID-19 to young people between 12 and 17.

The territory, which has only been using the Moderna vaccine, recently exchanged some of that for doses of the Pfizer product, which Health Canada has now approved for anyone as young as 12.

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Yukon

Anyone 18 years of age or older can get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Yukon’s health minister says the territory will be giving youths between 12 and 17-years old a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine before the school year ends in June.

Tracy-Anne McPhee says the territory has struck a deal with the federal government to acquire enough doses to fully vaccinate all 2,641 youths in that age range.

She says the goal is to provide a second dose by the end of July.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2021.

The Canadian Press