Women who are pregnant can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Manitoba under expanded eligibility criteria announced Friday.
Under the expansion, anyone 18 and over who is pregnant, who receives community living disability services or who works in any health-care setting including outpatient locations and the vaccine warehouse can now book an appointment.
As well, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is now available for the first time to some people under 40.
Newly eligible people are those 30 to 39 with underlying health conditions such as severe obesity, chronic liver disease and HIV.
In a release the province said those now eligible for a shot at super sites or pop-up clinics under the changes can book an appointment starting at 2 p.m. Friday.
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Vaccination appointments can be made by calling 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC) or through the province’s website.
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.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, visit our coronavirus page.
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