May 12,  2021,  Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement, issued the following statement regarding the lack of second dose advice for Canadians who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca:

“Several provinces have stopped the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine amid conflicting advice from top doctors at Health Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Yet, almost 2 million Canadians have received the first dose of this vaccine. Today, when asked what the government’s advice was for Canadians who have only received their first dose of AstraZeneca, Justin Trudeau said he talked to his doctor and implied that others should do the same.

“Given that many Canadians don’t have a family doctor, and that experts, Health Canada, agencies like NACI report to the Prime Minister, this statement is an abdication of responsibility. His inability to provide little more than a “talk to your doctor” for Canadians with serious questions surrounding the future of their vaccination status is ridiculous. Throughout the pandemic we have relied on the country’s top doctors working within the federal government to provide us with guidance.

“Canada’s Conservatives call upon the Prime Minister to immediately ensure that health experts within the federal government will issue clear advice on what should be done to complete the vaccination process for Canadians who have received a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine. He must also provide clarity on how many doses of AstraZeneca will arrive in Canada over the next four months.”
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