By The Financial District
Mar 6, 20211 min
Canada's health regulator on Friday authorized the use of Johnson & Johnson's one-shot coronavirus vaccine, giving the country its fourth inoculation option.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference that 10 million doses are due to arrive between now and September. Canada has already approved jabs from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca/Oxford, but the country's vaccination campaign has been slow to ramp up amid production delays and relatively small initial shipments.
The Johnson & Johnson shot will give Canada added vaccine firepower and flexibility as it can be stored in a standard fridge, unlike the ultra-cold conditions required by the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, both of which are two-dose regimes.
The United States approved the Johnson & Johnson shot a week ago. It is also in use in Bahrain.