Vaccine rollout blues: Germany’s Merkel complained about comparisons to Canada, Trudeau says

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she’s being criticized by the German media because Canada’s doing better with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Speaking to the media Tuesday, Trudeau was asked about “reports” that the Pfizer vaccine has less of a delay in some European countries than Canada.

Last week, it was announced that shipments of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine will be reduced across the world, including in Canada over the next four weeks.

The delay also hit Germany.

However, Pfizer later announced that it will be resuming shipments of its vaccine to the European Union within the next two weeks, but there have been no more changes to Canada’s deliveries.

Trudeau said the reports that Canada is going to be hit with more delays than Europe is “speculation.”

“I understood that there are many different musings and reports and speculation and stories about ‘this country doing this’ and ‘that country doing that’,” Trudeau said.

“I had a lovely conversation with Angela Merkel yesterday morning, in which she sort of complained to me that every day she gets it from the German media that they are not doing as well as Canada is.”

2:14 Coronavirus: Germany, Hungary and Slovakia give first vaccines, skip ahead in EU rollout

Like parts of Canada, Germany is on a lockdown in order to help stop the spread of the virus. Merkel on Tuesday extended the country’s lockdown until Feb. 14.

According to local media, Germany has vaccinated more than one million people.

Canada has administered more than 629,820 doses, according to the COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker.

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Trudeau added that although people are “comparing” Canada’s vaccine schedule with other nations, Ottawa is still on track to meet its vaccination requirements. He reiterated that it’s only a “temporary delay” and all Canadians who want to be vaccinated by September 2021, will be.

“I can assure that Minister Anand is talking almost daily with Pfizer and other vaccine companies to ensure we get as many doses as possible as quickly as possible,” Trudeau said.