There wasn't a lot of new information from provincial officials today regarding a COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Ontario.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says officials are now speaking directly with the manufacturers of seven different candidate vaccines as they prepare for what Ontario Premier Doug Ford called “the largest logistical undertaking” the province has faced “in a generation.”
Several of the companies, including Pfizer and Moderna Inc., have already applied for emergency use authorization in the United States but they will need to have their vaccines approved by Health Canada before they can be distributed.
Elliott suggested the top priorty groups to receive the first doses of the vaccine, will be the most vulnerable and front line health care workers.
Retired General Rick Hillier who will be heading up the province's vaccine rollout task force had some motiviational words for Canadians today who think they can't get through the next few months while we wait for a vaccine.
"People are tired and say oh my goodness we can't carry on, well guess what you can! This is not the first time in our history that Canadians have faced incredible challenges and gotten through."
Hillier went on to provide a comparison of challenges faced by Canadians.
"They can storm the beaches of Normandy, we can sit on our couch, stay away from everybody else, wear our masks, wash our hands, not touch our face, we can do that for the next months until we get the vaccine working through."