Evidence of meeting #9 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was working.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
I will have to confirm, but to the best of my knowledge, we have not had requests from other countries. However, it is possible that my colleague from Global Affairs Canada is aware of other requests made to us.
Conservative
Len Webber Conservative Calgary Confederation, AB
I will move on to Mr. Lucas. If you have information on any other shipments sent out to other countries, it would be appreciated if you could share that with the committee.
I have a question for Mr. Lucas from the Department of Health. Yesterday I donated blood at the Canadian Blood Services here in Canada, and I was shocked to see that the CBS personnel and health care workers there were not wearing any type of protective masks at all. I posted a picture of that on my Facebook. I asked them why, and they told me that CBS did not deem it a requirement for their workers, and therefore didn't even have a supply of masks on hand. I'm shocked that the Canadian Blood Services does not mandate the use of masks in their blood collection facilities, and I'm wondering why. Is it because we are in such a short supply here currently? Should they not be wearing masks at the CBS?
Also, I've been contacted by flight attendants who live in my riding. They are scared to do their job, and they are scared to lose their job. That is a horrible position to be in, for sure. They see medical staff needing full personal protective equipment to interact with possible COVID-19 cases, especially those who have returned to Canada, and yet they're asked to do their job without personal protective equipment. Why are they not wearing masks? Is it again because we're in short supply? Should they not be wearing masks?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair. We have been working with the Canadian Blood Services and the council of federal-provincial-territorial deputy ministers to ensure that they are aware of and follow the guidelines in terms of the use of personal protective equipment. I have indicated that they are working in terms of means of ensuring physical distancing, and we will continue to work with them to ensure that they are supported on this essential service for Canadians, to ensure that our blood supply continues, and that the workers involved have the necessary protections as per the guidelines.
In terms of other areas, the Public Health Agency of Canada, working with provinces and territories through the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, has developed and publicly posted guidelines for the use of personal protective equipment for essential services. There is work under way to ensure that people are aware of those, as well as guidelines for the use in health care settings. I'd be happy to provide those to the committee if you wish.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Mike Kelloway Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Hello to my colleagues.
I want to thank the witnesses for coming today. I'd echo what everyone has said so far about the incredible work of Canadians from coast to coast to coast over the past month or so. I certainly want to acknowledge that.
Along the same lines, Canadians have been banding together to stay home in an attempt to flatten the curve. Do we have any data yet as to whether or not social distancing and self-isolation have been effective in the past few weeks? That would be directed toward the folks from the Public Health Agency and Health Canada.
Liberal
Mike Kelloway Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
It would be to the witnesses from the Public Health Agency and Health Canada.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Perhaps I can start, and my colleague from Health Canada can follow.
In relation to the measures that have now been instituted across the country, I think that if Dr. Tam were answering this question, she would say that generally it takes a few weeks to be able to ascertain the impact of those measures. I think at this point it is hard to comment, in terms of the data that we're seeing, as to the impact.
But that being said, I think from the point of view of our awareness of the extent of those measures taking place across the country and the data that we have to date, it is looking positive in relation to the impact that we expect those measures to have locally on the ground across the country.
As I think I said in the context of my opening remarks, now is not the time to lighten up; now is the time to ensure that Canadians are very seized with the importance of those measures and that they continue to follow the direction that's offered, both federally and by their jurisdiction and local public health, to double down to ensure that we're all doing everything we can to flatten the overall epidemic curve.
Perhaps I will now turn it over to my colleague from Health Canada.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
What I would just note briefly is that there is some evidence coming in, as provinces provide more detailed epidemiological data, of the impact of measures, and in particular of the social distancing measures. British Columbia did release some data last Friday that showed that their curve was able to be bent as a consequence, through their interpretation, of that continued focus on physical distancing.
However, as was just noted, it is critically important now to sustain those measures as all Canadians can contribute to the effort to protect health and safety and to save lives by not undertaking any mass gatherings and by ensuring that physical distancing between us to stop the spread.
Liberal
Mike Kelloway Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
This question is for the same people from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency.
In terms of vaccines, I know we're doing a lot of work both in-country and globally with research and development with respect to vaccines, but do we have any sense of how close we are to a vaccine, understanding that it is a process and that it's trial and error and a lot of testing and whatnot?
A lot of Canadians, a lot of people in my riding, have been asking about work being done with respect to vaccines.
I'm wondering if you can comment on that to those here on the committee and to Canadians in general.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Again, I think this is an answer that will involve both a response from me and a response from my colleague at Health Canada.
At the federal level, we have been working very closely together with key organizations that are involved in research and development, which involves both our National Microbiology Laboratory and other federal players, including another member of the health portfolio beyond Health Canada—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, CIHR—and some of our colleagues at the National Research Council, to name but a few.
Certainly in the context of different initiatives, there are efforts under way to support researchers in Canada and abroad in the context of the development of a potential vaccine for COVID-19.
This question has come up a couple of times at committee in the past, and I think we all recognize that it will take a number of months before any vaccine may be developed, trialed, proven to be successful, and then potentially produced and rolled out for the general population. I think when Dr. Tam was asked that question, which I think was the first time we were at committee together, she talked about an 18-month window.
Perhaps I will ask my colleague from Health Canada if he would like to add anything.
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
I would simply note that efforts are being made on a broad number of fronts in Canada, from working with firms and research labs that have potential vaccine candidates, to providing support to researchers not only to do the research but to ensure that we can participate in clinical trials, and then to ensure that we have a rapid process to approve clinical trial designs as well for the different phases of candidate vaccines as they emerge, to ensure their safety and effectiveness. All of these efforts are being co-ordinated through work between federal agencies, as noted.
That timeline of 12 to 18 months for a vaccine is what is being discussed globally, but there is no certainty on that, which is why every effort is being made not only on vaccine development in Canada and Canadian participation as candidate vaccines emerge globally, but also on the development of treatments or therapies that can help manage the symptoms. The solidarity trial that was noted is important in that regard as well, as is work by Canadian firms and researchers across the country.
Liberal
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
It was my understanding that Mr. Paul-Hus was supposed to be the next person on the speakers list. I will fill in for him until he can get in, and he can take my spot when it comes, if that's okay.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Thank you very much, everybody, for being here.
Perhaps with the telecommunication issues we're having, maybe down the road we can get these same witnesses back at a future date as well.
First off, thank you, everybody, for all that you're doing in stepping up along these lines and trying to make certain we do everything we can to protect Canadians. I will direct my first question to Mr. Lucas because it has to do with the interim orders. I realize that Ms. Namiesniowski also talked about the interim orders. The reality is that on March 18 the minister signed the interim order to allow for two new diagnostic tests to be used in Canada. These were the Roche Molecular Systems cobas SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic device, as well as the ThermoFisher Scientific TaqPath COVID-19 combo kit.
Without going into the issues of nucleic acid tests, etc., can you tell us what sorts of results we have gotten since the final approval of these tests?
Deputy Minister, Department of Health
In regard to the approval, indeed we've approved these, and we are in the process of approving and have approved other diagnostic tests. We are working with a Canadian company, Spartan, to approve their rapid test kit and have conditionally ordered with them to ensure that it can come to market as soon as the regulatory approval is completed.
We have placed orders with a number of companies to obtain tests, including the ones enabled through the interim order, and are working with suppliers on determining delivery dates for those as we work, as well, to ensure that we can produce the reagent necessary to enable the DNA validation of tests in laboratories across Canada.
