Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine approved

KAMLOOPS — Health Canada is to announce approval of the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson and Johnson today.

The federal regulator has found the evidence shows the vaccine is both safe and effective against the virus that causes COVID-19.

It is the fourth vaccine to be approved in Canada and the first and only one Canada has purchased that requires just a single dose.

Canada has pre-purchased 10 million doses, with options to buy another 28 million.

Joelle Paquette, the director general for vaccines at Public Services and Procurement Canada, says the 10 million doses are to arrive by September.

However it’s not expected that any will flow to Canada until at least April.