Health Canada approves Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

UPDATE  – There are now four COVID-19 vaccines approved for mass use in the country, as Health Canada announced Friday morning it’s given the green light for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to be used.

It is also the first single dose vaccine approved in Canada.

Johnson and Johnson has said that a single dose is 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, and 100 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 related hospitalization and death.

Ottawa has pre-purchased 10-million doses, with the option to buy another 28-million.

Joelle Paquette, the director general for vaccines at Public Services and Procurement Canada, says the 10-million doses are to arrive by September.

However it’s not expected that any will flow to Canada until at least April.

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