MILFORD, Michigan — Canada has maintained very strict COVID-19 restrictions relative to its number of cases since the pandemic’s inception. This is true for its domestic provisions as well as its regulations for international traffic. However, over a year into the worldwide pandemic, Canada is lagging behind much of the developed world in terms of restrictions still imposed, largely due to Canadian citizens’ uneasiness concerning COVID-19 vaccines.
In the United States, vaccines seemingly came out of nowhere, and in many parts of the nation, mask mandates evaporated and capacity regulations lifted. In Canada, the opposite is true because, as many Canadians observed with jealousy, “Here, vaccine envy has turned into a national psychosis.”
Inoculation rates, once exponentially growing in the U.S., have approached a grinding stalemate, with sects of citizens fervently against receiving a vaccine and others employing a “wait and see” approach. In short, the remaining population yet to be vaccinated does not seem eager to do so. A similar trend may be upcoming in Canada, as it’s climbed the ranks in world vaccination rates in recent weeks, but lingering inconsistency and haphazard governmental guidance have deterred some of its citizens.
Vaccination Rates in Canada
Once struggling to gather up vaccines for even its essential workers, Canada has taken major strides in recent months to improve its overall vaccination rate. As of July 11, 42% of its citizens are reported to be fully vaccinated. To compare, the United States posts a 48% mark and Spain reports 45% — two nations that have largely eased restrictions and welcomed international travel.
In late May, only a small percentage of Canada’s population was fully vaccinated. The sharp increase seen in the summer months is largely due to Canada’s Public Health Agency approving the interchangeability of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses. But expanded vaccine rollout came at a price. This alone inspired a growing sentiment of Canadian citizens’ uneasiness concerning COVID-19 vaccines. While observations in the U.K. and Spain suggest interchangeability is safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that it should be avoided barring “exceptional situations.”
Other Factors for Hesitancy
The Canadian government also supports the interchangeability of AstraZeneca (a viral vector vaccine) doses with Pfizer or Moderna (mRNA vaccines) doses. This also unhinges public confidence, with only some Canadian citizens expressing that they were comfortable with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The other major factor contributing to Canadian citizens’ uneasiness concerning COVID-19 vaccines is the time they are forced to wait between doses. In large part, Canadians expect to wait up to 16 weeks between their first and second dose. The manufacturers recommend an interval of three to four weeks.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
On July 9, Ontario announced that restrictions like those prohibiting indoor dining and limiting the number of people allowed into retailers and other non-essential venues will be mitigated starting July 16. This is a result of Canada’s most populous province reaching vaccine targets quicker than expected. In fact, Ontario hopes to lift the “vast majority” of restrictions if it reaches the 75% vaccination threshold.
The question remains of whether this figure will be reached by continuing to interchange vaccines and how effective it will be against the virus.
– Paolo Emilio Giannandrea
Photo: Flickr