Only about two-thirds of Manitoba’s population is likely to be fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus in 2021, according to projections by the provincial government.
In a rollout plan published Wednesday, the government projects about 70 per cent of Manitobans will be eligible for the vaccine, based on anticipated supply.
The bottom chart shows that up to 80,000 doses monthly will likely be available into the summer months, then will taper off.
The chart also shows planned supersites at the RBC Convention Centre, at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, and a site in Thompson.
A total of 98,400 doses are planned to be distributed by the end of February, or about 48,000 people.
Those numbers could change, however.
“Based on current projections for vaccine deliveries, the first two charts outline Manitoba’s immunization plan for the Pfizer vaccine from January to March 2021,” reads the plan.
“These may be adjusted as additional priority populations are identified, based on the site(s) that may be most effective at providing immunization.”
The projections are based only on the current availability of the Pfizer vaccinations. There is no data for the Moderna vaccine for January or February.
Dr. Jazz Atwal, the acting deputy chief provincial public health officer for Manitoba, said the numbers are based only on what information the province has so far.
“This doesn’t take into account other types of vaccines that might be available,” he said Thursday.
“So obviously, you’ve heard the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved in the U.K. You know, when that gets approved here … [it will] have a huge impact, potentially, on projections.
“It’s hard to predict out, obviously, three months or seven months, even right now, it’s actually kind of hard to predict one month simply because there are a lot of variable.”