Factbox-Canadian provinces prepare to start COVID-19 vaccinations
(Reuters) - Canada on Wednesday approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE and vaccinations are expected to start next week with high-risk people such as healthcare workers to receive the first doses.
Canada would receive 30,000 doses next week and up to 249,000 by the end of the year.
The following are the current plans by the 10 provinces and three territories to start inoculations:
* Quebec: Immunization in Canada's worst affected province from the pandemic may start on Dec. 14 at two nursing homes, one in Montreal (Maimonides) and in Quebec City (Centre d’hébergement Saint-Antoine). The initial batch is expected to be 4,875 doses.
* Ontario: Canada's most populous province and the second-worst affected province will start immunization on Dec. 15 at University Health Network in Toronto and Ottawa Hospital.
* Alberta: The province with the third-highest cases will receive 3,900 doses in time to start vaccinations on Dec. 16 at two sites, one in Edmonton, one in Calgary.
* British Columbia: Vaccinations to be administered in Vancouver and a location in Fraser health region.
* Saskatchewan: Will use its initial shipment of 1,950 doses to give the first of two required shots to 1,950 people. Immunization will take place at Regina General Hospital.
* Manitoba: Expects the initial 1,950 doses to arrive sometime next week. These will vaccinate 900 people, with the province holding back some of the first supply to give the same people their second shots a few weeks later.
* Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut: The territories are not expected to receive part of the initial Pfizer batch given the challenges of transporting it at ultra-cold temperatures.
* New Brunswick: Expects to receive 1,950 doses on Dec. 14 and the vaccines will be administered at Miramichi Hospital.
* Nova Scotia: Doses are expected to arrive on Dec. 15 and will be used for vaccinations at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.
* Prince Edward Island: Expects to receive 1,950 doses next week.
* Newfoundland & Labrador: Will start vaccinations in St. John's next week.
Sources: Provincial health officials, local media reports
(Reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Allison Lampert in Montreal, Moira Warburton and Jeff Lewis in Toronto; editing by Grant McCool)
