Canada suffers major shortage of vaccines despite major downpayments

But their patience, if not their sense of humor, is running thin. They say they still have no idea when they will get that all important "shot in the arm" and a shot at a normal life again.

 

"On the one hand you try to be reasonable, and then on the other you're screaming your head off saying...you know, 'what's wrong here, why are we not doing something else,' ya know?" said Carol as her husband David nodded in agreement from their home in Stouffville, Ontario, just outside of Toronto.

 

The Canadian government thought it could pay to play in the global race to vaccinate its way back to normal life. But as its vaccine supply slowed to a trickle in February, Canada remains on the sidelines of that race despite buying more vaccines doses per capita than, likely, any other country on Earth.

 

Canada did seemingly get an early start on buying vaccines in April last year, although the government says it could not convince any companies to produce them on Canadian soil. And ultimately it was the timeline -- the fact that manufacturers did not prioritize Canada for doses this winter -- that has sealed the fate of millions of Canadians still waiting to get a vaccine. ...