# Canada and the Coronavirus **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 30, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643 "2020-03-30T05:02:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/424 "2021-02-26T13:56:33Z")
I’m tired of this too. I am completely mystified as to why you are angry at the government of Ontario for a failure that does not appear to actually exist, but not at the federal government for a failure that does. This is not a small matter. There will be more pandemics, an honest accounting of the government’s failures matters, and the federal government has done an objectively atrocious job. They have been shielded from criticism largely because the Trump administration down south was such a dumpster fire by comparison. I’m not saying the Ontario government has done a good job here - they have not - but their failures aren’t with getting vaccines into humans. So far they’ve done a good enough job of that and I have every confidence they’ll get Ontario’s vaccines into Ontarians; it’s not really that difficult an exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/425 "2021-02-26T18:10:41Z")
I hope and expect that everyone can have a vaccine by mid-summer. This talk of varients is causing stress that vaccines can alleviate. Canada has spent more than most countries to pre-buy vaccine doses and we are way down the list of developed countries in getting shots in arms. The United States celebrated 50 million doses delivered yesterday. That does not speak well of the Canadian government and I will be interested in reading how the contracts they negotiated with suppliers put us so low down the list in regard to priority. My parents are both over 80 and have not yet had the opportunity to schedule a vaccine shot. I want to be able to see them this summer as they both also have other health issues. Canada needs 60 million doses, not 20 million. I am also feeling the fatigue of this situation, and having an effective vaccine that is not available is frustrating. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/426 "2021-02-27T14:24:14Z")
I’m seeing numbers like this from the feds: > This shows that about 1/3 of the population could be fully vaccinated (both shots) by June, excluding AZ. Hillier is saying we won’t even get to people under 60 before July. The local PHU are proceeding with their own plans. Who is wrong here? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/427 "2021-02-28T17:19:27Z")
National Post has an interesting article comparing vaccination rates and schedules in all of the provinces and territories: > **[Fact check: How much does Ontario's COVID-19 vaccine rollout lag other...](https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/fact-check-how-much-does-ontarios-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-lag-other-provinces)** > > A province-by-province overview of Canada's immunization rates > [@](#): > > The [number of people fully vaccinated](https://covid19tracker.ca/vaccinationtracker.html) and the [**per cent of the total population vaccinated** (at least one dose)](https://covid19tracker.ca/vaccinationtracker.html) in each province, by end of day Feb. 26, break down thus: > > - Newfoundland and Labrador: 7,466; **2.460** > - Prince Edward Island: 5,165; **4.390** > - Nova Scotia: 12,105; **2.034** > - New Brunswick: 11,036; **1.956** > - Quebec: n/a; **4.671** > - Ontario: 258,014; **2.618** > - Manitoba: 28,557; **3.111** > - Saskatchewan: 22,485; **3.987** > - Alberta: 82,989; **2.807** > - British Columbia: 73,808; **3.470** > - Yukon: 4,309; **25.761** > - N.W.T.: 1,934; **32.214** > - Nunavut: 4,107; **18.521** > > And following is the current [plan for vaccine rollout across the country](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/covid-19-vaccine-treatment/vaccine-rollout.html). Click on the headers below to go to each province’s official vaccination plans. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/428 "2021-02-28T18:49:59Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Quebec: n/a; **4.671** Wait, how did they know the second number without knowing the first? > [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > This shows that about 1/3 of the population could be fully vaccinated (both shots) by June, excluding AZ. Hillier is saying we won’t even get to people under 60 before July. The local PHU are proceeding with their own plans. No one is wrong. The federal government is being optimistic in an effort to deflect criticism, but tey aren’t lying, they’re just makiing optimistic assumptions there; “if additional vaccine candidates are given the green light by Health Canada.” The provincial government is still making projections based on what they are pretty confident they will receive, not what they hope will happen. I am still curious as to what the provincial government has done wrong. If they get the vaccines, the vaccines will be administered. Ontario does not have a bunch of vaccines unused. They use all the vaccines the federal government gives them. The problem so far has been supply. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/429 "2021-02-28T20:54:14Z")
The feds numbers are based on approved vaccines currently under contract. Millions of doses are set to be delivered. This does not include J&J and others as they are not approved yet. My issue is that the province does not feel like they are standing on the track waiting to accept the baton. The fact that the PHUs have had to set up their own web sites is part of it. York, Guelph, and Ottawa are accepting appointments and giving shots this week. Nationally we have only administered 77% of doses received, or about a 10-12 day supply. > **[COVID-19 Tracker Canada - Vaccination Tracker](https://covid19tracker.ca/vaccinationtracker.html)** > > Real-time COVID-19 vaccination updates for every region in Canada, tracking doses of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine delivered and administered to Canadians. As long as they don’t get it in the way of the local PHUs, I really don’t care but I have faith the Ford government will screw it up still. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/430 "2021-03-02T21:48:59Z")
That chart seems useless to me. Much more useful in terms of assessing provincial performance would be to show how much of the vaccine they’ve actually received has been distributed. Last I looked most provinces were in the 80-90% range, meaning the problem isn’t really with the provinces. It’s sad to see percentage numbers that low. I was just listening to an American podcast where they were complaining that having only 20% of the population vaccinated by now was scandalous and outrageous. We are at 3.8%. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/431 "2021-03-03T03:24:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Wait, how did they know the second number without knowing the first? The first number is the number of people **fully** vaccinated, while the second is the proportion who’s received **at least one** dose. Quebec has pursued a “breadth-first” approach, giving one dose to as many people as possible instead of two doses to a smaller number of people. If the website I’m looking at is correct, nobody has received two doses in Quebec, which would explain the N/A. (Although that website says the same thing for Nunavut, in contradiction with the above information.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/432 "2021-03-03T04:54:14Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > That chart seems useless to me. Much more useful in terms of assessing provincial performance would be to show how much of the vaccine they’ve actually received has been distributed. This seemed so self evident to me that I didn’t even bother commenting on it, but now I’m wondering if Fins or anyone else actually thinks these numbers are indicative of some sort of provincial failures. PROTIP: they aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/433 "2021-03-03T05:08:52Z")
Saskatchewan at 107% administration rate. Obviously nailing the extra dose from each vial trick. I have to say after how crappy we’ve been doing over the past few months it’s nice to see that at least our vaccination effort is efficient. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/434 "2021-03-03T11:16:42Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > It’s sad to see percentage numbers that low. I was just listening to an American podcast where they were complaining that having only 20% of the population vaccinated by now was scandalous and outrageous. We are at 3.8%. Texas removed their mask mandate yesterday at a time they are reporting 3x the new cases and 5x the deaths per capita than we are in Ontario. Look at all the stats, not just one. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/435 "2021-03-03T11:25:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > This seemed so self evident to me that I didn’t even bother commenting on it, but now I’m wondering if Fins or anyone else actually thinks these numbers are indicative of some sort of provincial failures. What’s indicative of a failure at the provincial level are Hillier’s comments that 60 year olds won’t be vaccinated until July. It’s wrong and it indicates that the province has not properly addressed the challenges in delivering the volume of vaccine incoming starting immediately. Rick, I think you live in Halton. Why did Halton launch their own web site and start vaccinating seniors before the provincial web site has even launched? [https://www.halton.ca/For-Residents/New-Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccines](https://www.halton.ca/For-Residents/New-Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccines) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/436 "2021-03-03T13:35:24Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > What’s indicative of a failure at the provincial level are Hillier’s comments that 60 year olds won’t be vaccinated until July. This will be a failure if, in fact, there are vaccinations for those people and they don’t get them. I am unconcerned with “comments,” and concerned with people getting vaccinated. If the federal government actually delivers enough vaccines to Ontario to vaccinate people, and for some reason the vaccines are not used, that will be a failure. I see no evidence that will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/437 "2021-03-03T16:28:49Z")
Ontario managed to deliver [over 5.1 million influenza doses in by November 2020](https://globalnews.ca/news/7437110/rexall-pharmacies-temporarily-pause-ontario-flu-shots/). If you assume the delivery period was October to December that would be 400,000 a week. So as with everything, supply chain is the critical piece for right now. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/438 "2021-03-04T02:15:40Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > There’s also the tendency for Quebec snowbirds to go to Florida for the winter. They’ve likely all returned home by now, and some brought the virus with them from Florida. There is a business based in Quebec that allows those in Canada to fly to the US (Plattsburgh, NY - about 10 miles for the boarder), and their cars to be transported to the US, reunited them, all within the COVID-19 protocols, and setting them off in the land of the free and the home of covid to return home to O Canada. Additionally the Adirondack mountains in NY is a Canadian tourist destination for many (slightly) north of the boarder. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/439 "2021-03-04T19:33:29Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > …There is a business based in Quebec that allows those in Canada to fly to the US (Plattsburgh, NY - about 10 miles for the boarder)… What if you own your own place? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/440 "2021-03-04T20:25:30Z")
Just because you own doesn’t mean you can’t _also_ rent. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/441 "2021-03-04T20:33:20Z")
As an American living in Canada, I’m mulling over the idea of making a trip back to see my family (whom I haven’t seen in well over a year) and getting the vaccination while I’m there. I’m really not looking forward to another summer stuck inside the house. I just found out that I’m eligible to get my vaccination in Utah (my last place of US residence) as of today. But as my wife points out, we’d have to get the two shots, separated by two weeks, and we’d have to quarantine (at our own expense) when we got back to Canada… so that plan probably won’t work out. It’s gonna be a long summer. The only thing I can hope is that once enough Americans get their vaccination, the US will allow Canada to get some of the shots as well. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/442 "2021-03-04T20:56:42Z")
More good news on the vaccine front: > **[Johnson & Johnson vaccine approval expected in ‘next few days’: feds -...](https://globalnews.ca/news/7676979/johnson-johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-approval-possible/)** > > The Johnson & Johnson vaccine differs from the others approved so far in that it delivers protection from developing COVID-19 symptoms with a single shot rather than two doses. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643/443 "2021-04-05T20:42:27Z")
You know what? At ~7000 new cases a day we are actually a bit below the solid Grey line “With spread of VOC, current public health measures will be insufficient, and epidemic resurgence is forecast” on Slide 13 the one with Variants of Concern from the February update on COVID-19 damn it. > **[update-covid-19-canada-epidemiology-modelling-20210219-en.pdf](https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/diseases-maladies/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/epidemiological-economic-research-data/update-covid-19-canada-epidemiology-modelling-20210219-en.pdf)** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-the-coronavirus/850643.md?page=23)