Merck is partnering with a pharmaceutical company in Ontario to make its oral COVID-19 antiviral pill in Canada.Merck, the maker of molnupiravir — which is still under Health Canada review — announced Monday it has reached an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific in Whitby to manufacturer its treatment.Marwan Akar, president and managing director with Merck Canada Inc., told reporters at a news conference that Thermo Fisher has been making molnupiravir for distribution in Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as for European, Asian Pacific and Latin American countries, pending approvals in those regions.“Make no mistake, vaccines remain our primary and first line of defence, but we need new tools in the toolbox, and antivirals provide.