OTTAWA: Canada will allow a sixth dose to be taken from each vial of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine rather than the originally intended five, the health ministry said on Tuesday, a move that could ease political pressure caused by a supply shortfall.

Supriya Sharma, a senior advisor at the ministry, told a news briefing that six doses could be extracted provided a special syringe was used, mirroring moves taken by the United States and some European nations.

Canada's Liberal government has been attacked by critics over the slow pace of vaccinations, caused in part by a temporary reduction in supplies from Pfizer.

Major-General Dany Fortin, who is helping lead the inoculation campaign, said the pace of deliveries should start to pick up next week.

Pfizer and Moderna Inc have continued to assure Ottawa they would meet their commitments to deliver a total of 6 million doses by the end of March, he told the briefing.