Advertisement

Freezers that until recently held choice P.E.I. tuna will now store COVID-19 vaccine

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus: Government can’t stop corporations from buying vaccines for their employees, says Hajdu'
Coronavirus: Government can’t stop corporations from buying vaccines for their employees, says Hajdu
Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu on Friday said the federal government doesn’t have regulations to stop private corporations, like the NHL, from buying COVID-19 vaccines for their members, but ensured that any goods publicly acquired by the government for its citizens won’t be sold for a fee – Dec 11, 2020

The owner of a bluefin tuna exporting company in eastern Prince Edward Island has offered up two freezers to the provincial government as public health officials prepare to vaccinate Islanders against COVID-19.

Jason Tompkins, owner of One Tuna in North Lake, P. E. I., said in an interview Thursday he has loaned two of his laboratory-grade freezers to the province to store the recently approved Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine needs to be kept at a frosty -70 C, according to Pfizer, whose vaccine got the green light from Health Canada on Wednesday.

The freezers on loan average about -87 C, Tompkins said.

“I know that they’re not something that everyone just has laying around,” he said. “If we can do anything to help out, it’s kind of our duty.”

Story continues below advertisement

He said he emailed P.E.I.’s chief public health officer Dr. Heather Morrison to offer up the freezers when he learned the Pfizer vaccine was being considered for approval in Canada.

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

After discussion with Morrison’s team about the suitability of the equipment, the province picked the freezers up earlier this week.

“We were so pleased to have Jason reach out to us with that offer,” Morrison said during a COVID-19 briefing Friday.

“He reached out very quickly, very early on and so we had that connection,” she added. “We were just thankful.”

Click to play video: 'Health Matters: Can people with severe allergies get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?'
Health Matters: Can people with severe allergies get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?

One Tuna usually uses each of the freezers to store up to 500 pounds of tuna loin, Tompkins said, but the season for the large fish recently ended, freeing up the equipment.

Story continues below advertisement

Tompkins confirmed he has offered his two other freezers to the New Brunswick government.

Greg MacCallum, the director of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, said the department is now considering Tompkins’ offer. “If we identify a need for it, we’ll certainly be in contact with him,” he said.

The tuna season doesn’t start up until July, Tompkins said, so the freezers are available until then.

“We had the availability of the equipment and we’re a small island and a big community, and you do what you can to help out,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2020.

Sponsored content

AdChoices