To prevent vaccine wastage, a Manitoba First Nation just 1.5 hours north of Winnipeg, is offering their extra doses to people in surrounding communities.
“It’s a good thing what we’re trying to do because I would hate to waste a vaccine because we didn’t get enough people in our community,” says Derrick Henderson, Chief of Sagkeeng First Nation.
Henderson says about 900 residents in Sagkeeng First Nation have been vaccinated, yet as of Wednesday, they have roughly 200 unused Moderna doses.
Henderson believes the excess doses are due to vaccine hesitancy.
To make sure they don’t go to waste, Henderson says Sagkeeng has been offering shots to surrounding communities.
On Monday, vaccines were given to teachers in Powerview.
“The reason for that is our kids go to school in Powerview. So why not protect them and protect our community by doing that?” Henderson notes.
On Thursday, Sagkeeng will host an open clinic to people outside of their community including, Pinefalls, St. George and Powerview, among others.
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He says by doing this, they’re not just protecting those individuals, but his First Nation as a whole as well.
“They do come out here and shop in our grocery store, so why not? If we can prevent this virus from spreading, why not use up what you have?”
Sagkeeng isn’t the only First Nation to offer the vaccine to other residents. The Chief of Sandy Bay First Nation confirmed with Global News that it is also providing the vaccine to surrounding communities.
Ecole River Heights School in Winnipeg issued a letter, thanking Sandy Bay for allowing teachers to use some of the First Nation’s excess vaccines last week.
Henderson says Sagkeeng is expecting roughly 750 more vaccines to be brought to the First Nation in the weeks to come.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, he says Sagkeeng has reported 114 COVID-19 cases.
As of Wednesday, the community had one case of COVID-19, and that has been identified as a case of the B.1.1.7 variant that was first found in the U.K.
Henderson says the individual is isolating in Winnipeg, and two of their close contacts are in isolation as well.
“It’s important to get the vaccine. I know there’s that hesitancy. I’ve got the vaccine because it’s important to protect myself, and protect my community.”
The community will be setting up check stops outside Sagkeeng on Friday, to ensure proper contact tracing.
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