Evidence of meeting #24 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was naci.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
But the Americans are all going to be vaccinated by May 1, so it's kind of—
Chair, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Professor, Université de Montréal
That's because they have—
Chair, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Professor, Université de Montréal
They have supply.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
We don't.
We're at the heart of this here. We are, to use the chief science officer's words, conducting a population-based experiment on a non-data-driven dosing interval because we failed on procurement.
Is that a correct characterization?
Chair, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Professor, Université de Montréal
I can't tell you how procurement works. It's not my—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
We don't have the supply, so we've been forced into this corner because we don't have the supply.
Chair, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Professor, Université de Montréal
I think that given the scarcity of vaccines, you have to make the best decision given what you have.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
It just blows my mind. I know it's not your fault. I get the situation you're in, and it must be hard.
Chair, National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Professor, Université de Montréal
I can't say it's easy, no.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
On that, I think you and I share something, because I get calls in my office from people who say, “What should I do? Should I take the AstraZeneca vaccine? Should my mom take the AstraZeneca vaccine?” Obviously I can't say one way or the other; I have to rely on advice. I have you guys saying one thing and Ms. Elmslie saying that everything's changing every day, and I feel as though this lack of a protocol and lack of supply are leading to confusion in the Canadian public. It's really hard.
Perhaps I'll go to Dr. Njoo.
Has the minister given you any direction to develop a better communication protocol, given the debacle on the conflicting advice and balkanization of provincial guidelines on dosing and availability?
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Thank you very much for the question.
If I understand your question, no, the minister has not given me any personal direction in terms of communication. I think it's fairly clear—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Do you think it's necessary, though? This seems like a bit of a cluster in the public. Do you think that perhaps a better communications protocol is needed at this point?
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
I think in the general area of risk communications, we could always do better. I think even I personally—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
What would you do better? What would you say to the person who is really confused right now and is listening to this testimony saying we're going way off label on dosing interval because we don't have adequate supply?
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
I would say, go to your trusted health care professional because—
Conservative
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
No, it's the family doctor of the person—
Conservative
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
—who would actually administer the vaccine.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
The decision would obviously rest with the programs in the provinces and territories that made the decision in terms of the population level—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
It feels like everybody is pointing at each other.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
It comes down to the individual health care professionals and the patients.
Conservative