Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Fortier, ladies, thank you for being here with us today.
I will go almost immediately to the Supplementary Estimates (A). I was surprised to see that $463 million was earmarked to purchase an emerging treatment for COVID‑19. There are of course still some cases of COVID‑19 and the post-COVID‑19 syndrome. In terms of deaths, however, there are currently 33 COVID‑19 deaths per week. That is still too many, but there are of 114 deaths from influenza every week, on average.
Why are $463 million being set aside to purchase an emerging treatment?
What is the treatment, who is the supplier and what is the justification for that purchase?
Thank you.