Canada approves AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 shot in boost to campaign

Canada has ordered 20 million doses of the vaccine from AstraZeneca and is due to receive 1.9 million doses from COVAX.

Canada’s drug regulator on Friday approved AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, including the version produced by the Serum Institute of India, paving the way for health authorities to accelerate Canada’s lagging vaccination campaign. The vaccines produced by AstraZeneca Plc and the Serum Institute were approved under Canada’s interim order system, which allows for accelerated approvals similar to the US Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorisation. Canada has ordered 20 million doses of the vaccine from AstraZeneca, which it developed with Oxford University, and is due to receive 1.9 million doses through COVAX – the international initiative set up to provide equitable access to vaccines – in the first half of the year.