Thread by @CBCQueensPark

THREAD: Puzzling vaccine statement from Premier Doug Ford's office this afternoon:
"The Premier was notified today by our officials to be prepared for delays to two shipments of AstraZeneca expected from the federal government later this month and next." #COVID19ontario

We asked the premier's office for more details: How many doses are delayed? What shipments were these?
The response: "We are still waiting for more details from the federal government."
#COVID19ontario

But less than a week ago, Ontario officials said they had no confirmation of any additional AstraZeneca shipments. #COVID19ontario

It's *possible* the premier is referring to potential shipments of AstraZeneca Covishield from the Serum Institute of India. However, if he's only learning about delays today, he's well behind the news: India's president halted exports on March 24.
reuters.com/article/health…

An official in the premier's office tells me Ontario had been expecting shipments of AstraZeneca later this month and in mid-May, but that those are now pushed back to late May, and that this is hampering the province's ability to deal with the third wave. #COVID19Ontario

After pressing for more details, I got this from a government official:
Ontario was expecting
389,000 doses of AstraZeneca week of April 19th
194,500 week of May 3rd
Now both delayed until late May.
#COVID19Ontario

What's still not clear (since they did not indicate in last week's vaccine briefing that they expected an April 19th shipment of AstraZeneca) is whether Ontario actually only found out *today* that a shipment due this week is now delayed until late May. #COVID19Ontario