One year after the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic began, Canada is facing a contradiction in fighting the virus: doing better than other nations in terms of deaths and cases but lagging in administering vaccines.

The nation of more than 37 million people is 21st in the world in deaths at 22,454 and 22nd in cases at 908,622. The North American nation’s deaths per million is 543 compared with its neighbor to the south, United States, at 1,646. The US leads the world with 534,876 fatalities as well as 29.4 million cases. Brazil has 1,302 per million, and is No. 2 in deaths at 278,229 and 11.4 million cases, topping India on Saturday. Mexico is third in fatalities at 194,490 and 1,498 per million. India is fourth with 158,607 deaths and 114 per million.

The worldwide figure is 341.8 deaths per million for a total of 2.664 million, so far on Sunday with cases at 120.308 million.

Despite strong data in Canada, the nation has only administered 2.9 million vaccine doses, which is 7.78 per 100 people. The US is No. 1 with 105.7 million and 31.84 percent with Mexico 3.14 and Brazil 6.13. Worldwide, nearly 355 million doses have been administered.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said every Canadian should be able to get a vaccine by September. This contrasts with US President Joe Biden’s announced goal on Thursday by the end of May.

Trudeau said US-based Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech will begin delivering one million Covid-19 vaccine doses of its vaccine every week starting on March 22 until May 10 – doubling the current allocation. In addition, AstraZeneca, which is developed with Oxford University, in Britain, will be delivering 20 million doses by the end of the year. Also, authorized are Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, both based in the United States. All but vaccines by Johnson & Johnsons have arrived in the nation.

“That’s gonna make a big difference,” Trudeau said. “Every dose makes a difference.”

Despite lagging vaccination data, deaths have subsided to 20 reported on Sunday from a record 839 and cases were 2,421 from 11,383.

But Trudeau cautions about a spike.

“We have to keep taking strong public health measures,” said Trudeau during a press conference on Friday.” Otherwise we could see a third wave that is even worse than the second or the first, and I know that’s not the news you want to hear.”

Toronto and surrounding communities will remain in the province’s “Grey-Lockdown” zone but outdoor weddings will be allowed for up to 50 people starting Monday. Other regions in the Ottawa province in other zones can currently hold indoor wedding services with 30-percent capacity, while outdoors there can be up to 100 people.

“While the data shows that Ontario’s vaccine rollout is helping to save lives, the next few months are critical,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said in a statement Friday.