A Canadian receives the vaccine against Covid-19 at a clinic in Laval, Quebec, on February 25, 2021. Reuters
A Canadian receives the vaccine against Covid-19 at a clinic in Laval, Quebec, on February 25, 2021. Reuters
A Canadian receives the vaccine against Covid-19 at a clinic in Laval, Quebec, on February 25, 2021. Reuters
A Canadian receives the vaccine against Covid-19 at a clinic in Laval, Quebec, on February 25, 2021. Reuters

Canadians furious over ‘sloppy’ Covid-19 vaccine strategy


Willy Lowry
  • English
  • Arabic

Debby Fullerton hasn’t seen her grandson since he was three weeks old.

The 69-year-old grandmother lives in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada. She has been cut off from her daughter and grandson Noah, who is now 14 months old, since the start of the pandemic.

“I try not to focus on it too much because I get so sad,” said Ms Fullerton. “Video chatting has been a lifesaver. But again, it’s still not like being there in person.”

She was hoping that she would be vaccinated by now and able to travel to see her family, who live 4,500 kilometres away in Edmonton, Alberta. But Canada's vaccination programme has got off to a slow start.

Debby Fullerton holds grandson, Noah, before they were separated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Courtesy Debby Fullerton
Debby Fullerton holds grandson, Noah, before they were separated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Courtesy Debby Fullerton

In a country of 37.5 million people, just over 1.9 million doses have been distributed so far. That is only slightly more than the number of people the US is vaccinating per day.

“I feel desperate. When are we going to get it?” Ms Fullerton asked.

With just 3.6 per cent of the population having received at least one dose of the vaccine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised that every Canadian who wants the vaccine will have access to it by September.

However, many across the country are not convinced that will be possible.

Experts blame the delay on the lack of production facilities.

“We have been beholden to pharmaceutical companies in other countries for some of our basic health goods,” said Dr Jillian Kohler, a professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Dalla Lana School of Public Health & Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto, whose research focuses on fair access to essential medicines.

She described Canada's vaccination campaign so far as a “disaster".

Without domestic production capabilities, Canada has had to look elsewhere for vaccines.

The government has ordered more doses per capita than any other country in the world. So far, it has spent about $800m to secure access to 400m doses of the vaccine. That is enough to fully inoculate the entire country 5 times over.

Where are all the doses?

While the orders have been placed, the country has not received most of the drugs, and Canadians are beginning to question the fine print of some of the deals that Canada has signed.

“The government was a little bit sloppy in terms of its deals. We made deals with suppliers that would have led to an enormous amount of supplies for Canadians. It might still, but the devil is in the details,” said Dr Kohler.

“So, we were getting vaccines on a quarterly basis versus on a monthly basis, which has led to slowdowns.”

Canada made deals with seven different manufacturers in an attempt to spread out its supply to avoid the very problems it is currently experiencing. Out of fear that the US would not allow any export of the vaccine, Canada looked across the Atlantic to the EU.

In February, European companies struggled with production, severely limiting the number of doses Canada received.

The country has turned to Covax, a World Health Organisation initiative designed to help improve global access to vaccines. Canada is the only Group of Seven nation to turn to Covax for help.

Prime minister’s popularity plunging

And Mr Trudeau’s popularity has begun to take a hit.

Rhoda Kopstein, 94, has been a lifelong Liberal Party supporter. But the government has done such a poor job with the vaccine programme that she feels betrayed.

"This is either stupidity, incompetence or a lack of political moxie, and I think all three are true," Ms Kopstein told The National.

Dr Kohler believes it goes further than that. “I would say it was negligent [for the government] to not act on critical areas that it should have and that to me shows a thoughtless government, a government that doesn't have the know-how to deal with a crisis like Covid-19,” she said.

Both federal and provincial governments are now trying to make up for their initial failures.

Mr Trudeau has announced plans to open a facility in Montreal that will produce the Novavax vaccine, but production will not start until the end of the year.

On Friday, the federal government approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, hoping to speed up vaccine deliveries.

Ontario, the province with the largest population, has announced it will begin distributing vaccines to residents aged 80 and above on March 15.

That’s good news for Ms Kopstein. The retired social worker has a long list of activities she is looking forward to doing once she receives both doses.

“What I’d like to do is go to the bookstore. I haven't been to the bookstore in a long time,” said Ms Kopstein. “I would also like to be able to go back to the bridge group and play bridge with my friends. I’d really like to go back and do my own shopping. And top of the list, my number one priority is I’d really like to have a haircut.”

While the end is in sight for Ms Kopstein, Ms Fullerton believes she is still months away from being inoculated.

"If the vaccines keep coming in the way they are coming, the earliest I would get it would be July."

That means her grandson Noah will be 18 months old before she can hold him again.
It is a thought she tries to push away, digging deep into her well of patience, like so many other Canadians, hoping it doesn't dry up before she receives her vaccine.

“There is not a lot we can do to get the vaccine coming in faster. Now it's just having a lot of patience, which is all you can do.”

THE BIO

Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland

Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers

Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
FIXTURES

Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney

Note: d/n = day/night

Pari

Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment

Director: Prosit Roy

Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani

Three stars

Last 10 NBA champions

2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2

How to book

Call DHA on 800342

Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation text message

Present the SMS and your Emirates ID at the centre
DHA medical personnel will take a nasal swab

Check results within 48 hours on the DHA app under ‘Lab Results’ and then ‘Patient Services’

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5

Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')

Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')

Pakistan Super League

Previous winners

2016 Islamabad United

2017 Peshawar Zalmi

2018 Islamabad United

2019 Quetta Gladiators

 

Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286

Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier

Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August

 

Group A

Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar

 

Group B

UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia