The vaccination campaign is ramping up this week in Manitoba with pop-up clinics visiting some rural communities throughout the province.
Nationwide there have been over three million vaccine doses given out, with just shy of 600,000 Canadians now fully vaccinated — about 1.5% of the country.
Starting today in Manitoba, vaccination pop-up clinics will be making stops in rural communities, offering a more convenient option for those who don’t want to drive a long distance to the nearest supersite.
Pop-up clinics in Prairie Mountain Health will be coming to Dauphin at the Ukrainian Orthodox Hall on Whitmore Avenue this Thursday, March 18 (12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and Friday, March 19th (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) by appointment only.
The pop-up vaccine clinic in Swan River will be located at the Swan River Veteran’s Hall on Wednesday March 24th (12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and Thursday March 25th (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
This week will also see pop-up clinics coming to Portage la Prairie, Ashern, and Eriksdale. Click here for more information on locations and hours of operation. All are by appointment only.
The eligibility criteria to be vaccinated at the newly launched pop-up clinics is the same as the big city supersites — individuals 77 years of age and older or First Nations people 57 years of age and older.
In order to book an appointment, eligible Manitobans must call 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC).
The AstraZeneca Vaccine In Manitoba
Last week about 18,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were received in Manitoba and shipped to several pharmacies and medical clinics throughout the province.
“Now that the vaccine has arrived, we are shipping that vaccine out to clinics and pharmacists so they can begin giving the vaccine as soon as possible,” said Johanu Botha, co-lead of Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force.
The eligibility criteria to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine includes those aged 50 to 64 at greater risk of severe outcomes — and First Nations people aged 30 to 64 at risk of severe outcomes.
AstraZeneca is currently not recommended for use in Canada for those over the age of 65. This week the National Advisory Committee on Immunization will provide further guidance on this particular vaccine's use in older populations.
An online map on the Government of Manitoba website shows which locations in the province are accepting phone calls to book appointments for the AstraZeneca option.
“After considering all of these factors, individuals who are age 50 to 64, and First Nations people age 30 to 64, will be the first group eligible for this vaccine. We have developed a list of criteria to prioritize people from within this age group. A person’s doctor or pharmacist can make the determination if they should be considered a high priority,” said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba's vaccine task force.
To view the criteria pharmacists and physicians use to determine who receives the AstraZeneca jab, click here.
Several European countries have paused their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports of blood clots in some people. Health Canada maintains the vaccine is still safe to go ahead with and points out that the potential issue with AstraZeneca appears to stem from a particular batch of the vaccine manufactured in Europe.
The caccines currently authorized for use in Canada are shipped to Manitoba by the federal government -- and include Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca/Covishield. Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine has been approved by Health Canada but is not yet available for use in the country.
