No significant evidence of severe adverse reactions to the COVID-19 shot: Dr. Supriya Sharma

Health Canada has approved the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, paving the way for vaccinations to begin countrywide next week. Dr. Supriya Sharma, the chief medical adviser to Health Canada, says the authorization follows a science and evidence-based review.

Sharma says there's no significant evidence of severe adverse reactions to the shot.

Dr. Sharma says she and other health officials are amazed at the accomplishment in such a short time.

Supriya Sharma says they are making the approval process as open and transparent as possible by publishing the technical information for each vaccine on the government's main COVID-19 website.

The first shipment of vaccine is set to arrive next week.

It requires people to receive two doses each.