Canada Indulging in An Excess of Access

"Rich countries buying up vaccines before they're even available is not unlike people hoarding toilet paper."

"Why should I, a relatively healthy person in Canada, get vaccinated before a nurse in Ghana on the front line who is much more at risk than me?"

Elise Legault, One, anti-poverty group

"If it is true that they've got [commitments for] 350 million or 400 million doses ... then yes, Canada is grossly unethical in hoarding vaccine far above its needs."

"We must not accept delivery of more than we will use, or it will go to waste, and grotesquely deprive people who need it."

Amir Attaran, law professor, health policy expert, University of Ottawa

It is the opinion of humanitarian affairs adviser with Medicins Sans Frontieres in Ottawa Jason Nickerson that it appears abundantly clear that Canada will end up with a surplus of vaccine doses should most of those that have been pre-ordered be delivered. Canada, he recommends, must follow the example of France, to commit to donating leftover vaccines, in particular so that residents of refugee camps and other high-risk people can be covered.

The very fact of the matter is, Canada, a wealthy country with a sound medical system, has been fairly poorly governed over the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19. Advice to the public has been contradictorily confusing. It wasn't that long ago that medical experts in Canada were criticizing the government for not having followed the leads of other G-7 countries in assuring an appropriate-level supply of vaccines would be earmarked for the Canadian population.

And then the government moved, and outdid itself. In fact, it outdid every other country in its economic and social orbit by vastly pre-ordering far more vaccine for COVID-19 than the country could conceivably use, given its population size. Duke University in North Carolina's recently-released study indicates that Canada has ordered from more suppliers than any other country, inclusive of Pfizer and Moderna.

Paramedic with blood sample (Simon Dawson/Pool/AP)

International development organizations view Canada's wide sweep of the vaccine market with a healthy dose of 'we-told-you-so!'. An unfortunate and yet typically anticipated symptom of a rich country "hoarding" coronavirus vaccine, a situation that will lead to depriving poorer nations for months, even years before production capacity catches up. Leading to the risk that outbreaks will simply continue until such time that all countries globally acquire sufficient immunization.

A recent report out of the Rand Corporation estimates an unequal distribution of vaccine could cost the economy of the world $1.2 trillion annually; for every dollar rich nations spend on immunizing people in poorer countries they earn back close to $5 in economic benefit, their report estimates. Canada's minister for International Development argues that it remains unclear how many of the vaccines pre-ordered to purchase will be successful in their proving trials and go into production and distribution.

To balance issues, Canada has been among the leaders in backing COVAX, the global program whose purpose is to acquire and equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Canada's commitment to access over $440 million in the initiative, makes it the second largest contributor following the United Kingdom. Half is meant to pay for vaccine for the Canadian population, with the remainder meant to benefit poorer nations.

"Once a vaccine is approved, it needs to be available and accessible and equitably distributed around the world."

"We recognize that until everyone on the planet is safe from COVID-19, no one is. And we know this is an issue we need to deal with."

Karina Gould, Minister for International Development

None of which quite explains why it is that Canada, a country with a population of 38 million people would require 414 million doses of vaccine from a number of suppliers. Even given that all but one of these vaccines requires a two-part inoculation would still leave Canada with sufficient vaccine to immunize its entire population five times over. Duke University's Global Health Innovation Center places Canada far ahead of the next best-stocked nations; the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

A researchers works in a lab operated by Moderna Inc.