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Finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel

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After the doom and gloom we’ve heard about in recent weeks – that shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to Canada were being delayed or were in short supply – the news has suddenly become much more palatable.

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There are now four pharmaceutical companies whose vaccines have been approved by the Canadian government, and a fifth is reportedly on the horizon. Shipments of these much-anticipated dosages have since been expedited, and we’re being told Canadians can expect their first dose by June. Only about a month or so ago, we figured it might be September before most Canadians were finally vaccinated.

The Canadian vaccination timetable is still not in synch with that of the United States, whose rollout had a head start, but we’re finally starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. What I find confusing about these various vaccines is that, although they have all been proven to be effective, they are very much different from one another. I’m not a scientist so I don’t really understand why they require dramatically different storage temperatures and have significantly different efficacy rates.

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Pfizer’s efficacy rate is said to be 95 per cent while Moderna’s is close behind at 94 per cent and Johnson & Johnson’s is 85 per cent. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is said to have an efficacy rate of 62 per cent. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is supposedly a “one and done” dose while the others require two doses spaced apart by a recommended four months.

Based on this data, the average Canadian would seemingly rank AstraZeneca’s vaccine as their least preferred choice. For some reason, this vaccine isn’t recommended for people 65 and older, even though other countries around the world have reported good results among older seniors who have received this particular vaccine. According to a high-level Alberta physician who recently spoke with CTV News, it’s a better vaccine than it’s being given credit for.

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The AstraZeneca vaccine is being pushed on those between the ages of 60 and 64 – my age bracket – which makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Why is it OK for me, but not recommended for those a mere four or five years older?

There are certainly many unanswered questions about these vaccines and how the vaccination process will be undertaken. But they’re here, they apparently work, and it’s been a long time coming.

Watching U.S. news, I can’t help but wonder if the doors to “normalcy” are opening a little too soon. There are places in Florida where restaurants have reopened to 100 per cent indoor capacity again. There are 17 U.S.-based NHL teams that are now allowing upwards of 25 per cent of their fan capacity to attend games. And in Texas, mask-wearing is no longer mandated.

Based on where we stand right now in Canada, that really seems to be jumping the gun.

I’ve been following what relatives of mine in Texas have been saying on Facebook, now that they’ve received their first vaccines. They, and their friends who commented on their posts, said they felt rather blah the day after their initial doses, but added the setbacks lasted no more than 24 to 48 hours before they were back to their chipper selves again.

It seems like a small price to pay to be able to move forward again with the confidence that perhaps the worst may finally be over.

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