COVID-19: Manitoba expands 3rd dose recommendation to First Nations living on reserve

Manitoba health officials are now recommending First Nations people living on reserve get a third dose of  COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, lead of the First Nations Pandemic Coordination Team, said Monday the move will open third doses up to an estimated 7,200 Manitobans right away, with more people becoming eligible throughout the rollout.

“First Nations communities are seeing breakthrough cases of COVID-19 among people who are fully vaccinated,” Anderson said.

“Due to the context within First Nations communities, it’s essential that we decrease transmission as well as preserve our local health care capacity.

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At last word Friday, Manitoba had 963 active COVID-19 cases and Anderson said Monday 301 of those cases are on reserve.

While the five-day test positivity rate was 3.2 per cent provincially Friday, on reserve, that number was 10 per cent, Anderson said.

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She said of the 92 new cases announced Friday, 36 were among First Nation people, including 31 cases where were identified on reserves.

Of the 92 Manitobans in hospital as a result of COVID-19 Friday, 28 were First Nations people, including five in ICU, making up nearly a third of the province’s critically-ill COVID-19 patients.

“We have seen throughout this pandemic that First Nations people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, the fourth wave is no different,” Anderson said.

The province says the Integrated Vaccine Operations Centre, co-led by First Nations and the federal government, is being reactivated to oversee the third dose rollout.

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Manitoba has already offered third doses to people who are immunocompromised, who live or work in First Nations personal care homes, and people who received a vaccine and are travelling to countries that don’t recognize it.

Earlier this month officials opened up third doses to all health-care workers who have direct contact with patients in areas including hospitals, care homes, pharmacies and addictions treatment centres, as well as anyone who has received only the viral-vector vaccines.

Health officials say third shots should be given at least six months after the last dose of vaccine.

First and second doses eligibility includes anyone born on or before Dec. 31, 2009.

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.