Manitoba government expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility again

The province of Manitoba has expanded the eligibility for those who can get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Those who are eligible include:

• Health-care workers assigned to a COVID-19 immunization clinic or designated COVID-19 testing site (no age restrictions) and now may include some individuals who do not have direct contact with patients, based on their role
• Emergency response services (ERS) and specialty patient transportation workers registered with their applicable college or association in Manitoba, born on or before Dec. 31, 1975. This group includes professionals who perform ERS and patient transportation by land and air such as paramedics, emergency medical responders, nurses and respiratory therapists
• Those working in critical care units (intensive care units only, no age restrictions)
• Those working in long-term care facilities, born on or before Dec. 31, 1975
• Those working in acute care facilities, born on or before Dec. 31, 1975
• Those who work in a laboratory handling COVID-19 specimens (no age restrictions and may include some individuals who do not have direct contact with patients, based on their role)
• Those who work on a designated COVID-19 hospital ward (no age restrictions)
• Those who work in provincial or federal correctional facilities (no age restrictions)

On Friday, a total of 876 people received their first dose and 301 people received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 8,674 doses have been administered to date.

To date, Manitoba has received a total of 22,230 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which includes approximately 7,020 doses delivered earlier this week.

There are currently about 13,440 doses of Pfizer in the province, which will be used for the remainder of this week’s immunizations as well as appointments for first and second-dose immunizations that will be scheduled at the Winnipeg super site at the RBC Convention Centre next week.

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Next week’s shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to be 9,360 doses and about one-third of that will be shipped to Brandon to launch the super site at the Keystone Centre on January 18.

To date, Manitoba has received 7,300 doses of Moderna. Of these, 5,300 have been allocated for First Nation immunization priorities and are in the process of being shipped by air and road.

All of the remaining Moderna doses will be used to support the immunization campaign at personal care homes that will begin on Monday.