Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think conducting meetings and asking questions and actually allowing the answer isn't a sign of the patriarchy; it's actually doing our job as MPs to get the testimony from the witnesses we've asked to be here.
In that vein, it's interesting that the Conservatives talked about our never going to have vaccines until 2030, and then today they're saying that we have to get more vaccines or allow Canadians to take additional risks to go to the U.S. even though there are vaccines available in Canada right now. I believe it was yesterday that Canada surpassed the U.S. in first doses.
How appropriate would it be, if we're actually administering more first doses to Canadians than the U.S., to take supply away from another country when we have adequate supply here? I find that a bit odd.
I want to speak to the first-dose strategy. I have a number of questions. The first-dose strategy was also criticized by the Conservatives, which again is very confusing because you can't get a second dose until you have a first dose. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to administer first doses, and again, we have surpassed the U.S. on this.
To Dr. Tam—or if there are others who would like to jump in, please do so—the real world data has looked very promising in terms of protection from first doses, although people are not 100% protected after a first dose. In real world data on first doses, as well as something I know the minister likes to talk a lot about, a community with less COVID is safer for everyone. If you have a lower risk, even with a first dose, that in fact makes your community safer because that spread is down.
Could you maybe speak to that piece of it and why it's important for Canadians to continue to get that first dose, and why it's so important that our momentum with vaccines and these doses is increasing and continuing?