Feds Say Canada May Donate ‘Excess Doses’ Of AstraZeneca Vaccine To Other Countries

Procurement Minister Anita Anand has revealed that federal officials are "thinking of all of the options" when it comes to possible excess doses of Canada's AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking to Global News this week, Anand said that Canada has already committed to "donating excess doses" of COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, but didn't confirm details of an exact plan.

Anand's comments come as multiple Canadian provinces have paused first doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, citing either supply issues or concerns about rare blood clotting incidents.

Despite this, millions of vaccine doses are set to arrive in Canada over the summer, leading Global's Mike Le Couteur to ask "What do we do with them if they're not going to go into new arms?"

"We have committed to donating excess doses," Anand responded, before adding that Justin Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu had spoken on the issue previously.

She said Canada's leading officials are "on the same page in terms of the need to donate excess doses that Canadians aren't using," adding that the feds are "thinking of all of the options relating to any excess doses."