Eligible Manitobans are calling for appointments and the province says the average wait time to make an appointment by phone is less than a minute. A call-back option is also available instead of waiting on hold.
Eligibility has been expanded to include:
• all staff (including those without direct patient care) who work in eligible congregate living facilities, born on or before Dec. 31, 1960 (expanded from Dec. 31, 1955); or
• health-care workers providing services insured by Manitoba Health and Seniors Care in one or more of the following settings, with no age restrictions (expanded from Dec. 31, 1965):
- primary care clinics (e.g., family physicians and/or nurse practitioner clinics);
- outpatient diagnostic imaging facilities;
- outpatient laboratories;
- outpatient surgical units; and
- specialty physician clinics, such as cardiology and psychiatry.
Future
The province expects to allow Manitobans aged 95 and older and First Nation people in Manitoba aged 75 and older to begin booking appointments this week. More information will be provided soon. However, these individuals should not call to book an appointment at this time.
Eligibility criteria expand regularly and Manitobans should check www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html to determine if they are eligible to make an appointment. If eligible, call (toll-free) 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC). Everyone who calls is screened to ensure they meet current eligibility criteria before booking an appointment.
Vaccine Administration
To date, 62,365 doses of vaccine have been administered including 37,130 first doses and 25,235 second doses. Manitoba remains second among provinces in the number of people who have received two doses of vaccine and are fully protected against COVID-19, at 1,829 per 100,000.
Focused immunization teams (FITs) will continue to provide first-dose immunizations to residents of congregate living facilities in Winnipeg and Brandon this week. A list of all congregate living sites in the province is available online at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine under Reports and further updates about immunizations at congregate living facilities will be provided this week.
About 4,000 residents in 55 personal care homes received their second dose of vaccine last week. This week, an estimated 1,500 residents in 44 personal care homes will receive their second doses of vaccine. All personal care home residents are expected to receive their second dose by the end of the month. FITs will continue to conduct regular sweeps of these facilities to ensure all eligible and consenting residents have the opportunity to be immunized.
To date, approximately 500 medical clinics and pharmacies have applied to be part of the immunization campaign once a suitable vaccine is approved for use in these settings.
Vaccine Supply and Distribution
To date, a total of 84,810 doses of vaccine have been delivered to Manitoba. This includes:
• 62,010 doses of Pfizer vaccine; and
• 22,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
This week, Manitoba is expecting 17,500 doses of Pfizer and 6,100 doses of Moderna.
The vaccination calculator lets Manitobans see where they are in the priority line, based on their age, vaccine uptake and other factors, at: www.manitoba.ca/vaccine. All data in this bulletin is current as of Feb. 21, unless noted otherwise.
