Families of Canadians who suffered death or injury from COVID vaccines will share in $11 million in compensation, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
The Canada’s federal Vaccine Injury Support Program processes claims in which “the injury is serious and permanent or has resulted in death,” the report said.
Of the 2,233 claims filed at the time, 1,825 were approved for processing.
A total of 138 were approved for payment by a medical review board and payouts as of Dec. 31 totalled $11,236,314.
“A total of $75 million in funding has been earmarked for the first five years of the program,” the Canada’s federal Health Department wrote in a 2021 memo.
However, the he types of claims paid out were not disclosed.
“The program ensures all people in Canada who have experienced a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving a Health Canada-authorized vaccine administered in Canada on or after Dec. 8, 2020, have access to fair and timely financial support,” said the memo.
“Eligible individuals may receive income-replacement indemnities, injury indemnities, death benefits, coverage for funeral expenses and reimbursement of eligible costs, such as otherwise uncovered medical expenses.”
Canada’s federal Health Minister Mark Holland told the House of Commons in November that his department was a world leader in saving lives during the pandemic.
“Canada had among the best responses to COVID-19 anywhere in the world,” said Holland. “Thanks to vaccines and to other measures we saved literally hundreds of thousands of lives, which is something we should really be deeply proud of,” Holland said.
“I want to thank everybody who was on the front lines of keeping us safe. We are going to honour that work by making sure we learn and do everything we can to keep people safe.”
Dr. Supriya Sharma, the senior medical adviser for the federal Health Department, said the long-term effects of COVID vaccines were not known.
“The benefits outweigh the potential risks, but it is still a drug and still a vaccine and there are potential risks even if they’re rare,” said Sharma.
