The first shipments of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are on their way to doctor’s offices and pharmacies across Manitoba.
The province says it received 18,000 doses of the newly-approved vaccine Tuesday and plans are in place to start shipping the vaccine Thursday.
“I would encourage everyone to get the vaccine as soon as they are eligible, to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Vaccines are safe, effective and will protect you and the people you love,” said Dr. Joss Reimer, who heads up the province’s vaccine implementation task force.
“Once people get the vaccine, it is important to continue to follow public health measures, because we do not yet know whether or not COVID-19 may still be able to spread to others even if you have been vaccinated and do not get sick.”
At a technical briefing held for reporters earlier in the day Wednesday, health officials said just over 11,000 of the doses will go to clinics and pharmacies in Winnipeg, while every other health region will receive a portion of the remaining doses based on population.
Because the AstraZeneca vaccine is not recommended for people over 65, it will be made available to people aged 50 to 64 — or 30 to 64 for First Nations people — with certain health conditions.
The list includes people with heart failure, end-stage renal disease, people receiving home care four times a week, and pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes.
“We know those with high-risk conditions are more likely to experience serious illness related to COVID-19 requiring hospitalization or leading to death,” said Reimer.
“This guidance will help physicians and pharmacists provide the vaccine to those most at risk and ensure they are protected as soon as possible.”
A full list of the high-risk conditions being prioritized for the new shots is available on the province’s website.
The province says anyone who is already eligible for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (such as health care workers) who is aged 18-64 is also eligible for the AstraZeneca shot, although anyone who has already received one of the other vaccines shouldn’t get the AstraZeneca vaccine for their second dose.
Participating doctors’ offices and pharmacies have been briefed, the province said. An online map showing which locations have doses available launched Wednesday so those eligible can call them directly to make an appointment.
Hundreds of pharmacies and medical clinics have signed up to help distribute vaccines, and the province now has the capacity to deliver about 19,000 doses a day through all of its channels, Johanu Botha, a vaccine task force co-lead, said.
The limiting factor, for the time being, is the national supply of vaccines, but the province expects supplies to ramp up sharply in the coming weeks.
The province had earlier said it expected to offer first doses to all eligible Manitoba adults sometime between mid-May and the end of June, depending on the steady flow of vaccine supplies.
Things now look a little more optimistic, Botha said, and the latter date has been moved up to mid-June.
Pop-up clinics coming to rural, remote communities
The province also plans to start opening pop-up vaccination clinics in rural and remote communities starting next week.
The effort will see the temporary sites open for either one-day or half a day and are so far planned for Beausejour, Gimli, Pine Falls, Ashern, Morris, Portage la Prairie, Dauphin and Flin Flon.
Health officials say current age eligibility requirements will still need to be met to receive a shot at the pop-up sites, and appointments will need to be made through the province’s existing call centre starting Thursday.
A full list of where the the pop-up locations will be open and when is available on the province’s website.
Appointments can be made by calling 1-844-626-8222 between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Only those who fit into the age eligibility requirements should call, the province stresses.
Meanwhile the province said it will launch its fifth vaccination supersite in Morden March 22.
The site, located at Access Event Centre, will be open to those meeting age eligibility requirements and appointments can be booked starting Wednesday.
According to the latest provincial data 94,785 doses of vaccine have been so far given across the province, including 63,993 first doses and 30,792 second doses.
To date, 142,840 doses of vaccine have been delivered to Manitoba, including 95,940 doses of Pfizer vaccine, 28,900 doses of the Moderna vaccine, and 18,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Covishield vaccine.
Health officials say they expect to receive another 16,380 doses of Pfizer vaccine in Manitoba this week.
The province recently moved to delay second doses for up to four months in an effort to see more Manitobans get vaccinated with their first shot faster. The move comes after research found the efficacy of the first dose to be higher than originally expected.
The province has said all previously scheduled second-dose appointments will be honoured.
–With files from The Canadian Press
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
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