LONDON, ONT. -- It is less liquid than would fit in a teaspoon, but being able to draw precisely the right amount could mean more people could be getting Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and getting it faster.
“It does take some time for a factory to get up to pace on vaccine supply, for a syringe factory to get up to pace on creating more syringes than they thought they were supposed to try and make,“ says Middlesex-London Health Unit Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers.
After an independent regulatory review, Health Canada has agreed with a request from Pfizer to endorse pulling six vaccine doses from one of their vials, instead of just five, but that requires one milliliter syringes, and Summers says there is a shortage of those syringes.
“That syringe is not as readily available in our province, or across the world, as we would hope it would be, because demand has gone up rather quickly.“
Summers says when they have the one mill syringes, they put them to use.
“We’ve been, when possible, getting a sixth dose out of every Pfizer vial.”
The vaccination clinic at London’s Western Fair Agriplex resumed operation on Monday, with a steady stream of long-term care staff and front line health care workers heading in to get second doses, with the federal government again promising more vaccine, and more syringes, are on the way.
“Supported by federal procurement, there’s sufficient stock available to meet vaccine availability in the coming weeks,” says the head of the Federal Government’s Vaccine Rollout Task Force, Major General Dany Fortin.
“The appropriate syringes have already arrived in Canada, in sufficient quantities, and are being delivered to provinces and will continue into May 2021.“
Summers continues to stress how unprecedented the circumstances are when it comes to the pandemic response. He admits there will be more logistical challenges, but is confident solutions will quickly follow.
