4.8 million doses of H1N1 vaccine on way
Last Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009 | 8:58 AM ET
CBC News
A total of 4.8 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be delivered to the provinces by Sunday, CBC News has learned.
Until now, the largest shipment from supplier GlaxoSmithKline has been two million doses. The shipment will allow the provinces and territories to open up vaccination clinics to the general public, not just priority groups.
The move comes after shortages of vaccine across Canada caused many clinics to shut down.
The shortage developed when the supplier had to temporarily shut down production of the regular H1N1 vaccine so it could make an adjuvant-free version for pregnant women. Adjuvants are chemicals added to a vaccine to boost the immune system's response.
By Monday, 15.2 million doses of vaccine will have been produced, enough to vaccinate nearly half of the population.
