On March 5, two new immunization super sites will launch – one in Selkirk and the other in Morden-Winkler area. These sites will deliver vaccine to eligible Manitobans and also serve as a distribution hub for Focused Immunization Teams (FITs) and pop-up clinics. Further details will be released in the coming days. This expansion increases the number of super sites in Manitoba to six, with plans to expand to 13 super sites throughout the province in April.
Vaccine Administration
To date, 56,707 doses of vaccine have been administered including 35,009 first doses and 21,698 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 1,536 per 100,000.
There are more than 1,400 congregate living facilities with nearly 23,000 residents located throughout the province. Now that additional vaccine is available, FIT teams will continue the process of providing first-dose immunizations to residents of high-priority sites starting in Winnipeg and Brandon on Feb. 19 and will visit other locations in the coming weeks, following a schedule that helps ensure higher-risk individuals are immunized as quickly as possible.
A list of the first sites that will be visited, along with a list of all congregate living sites in the province is available online at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine under Reports. Assessments are ongoing to determine if FITs will attend a location or if residents will be supported to attend a clinic. Further updates about immunizations at congregate living facilities will be provided on an ongoing basis.
About 3,600 residents in 49 personal care homes are expected to receive their second doses of vaccine this week, and all personal care home residents are expected to receive their second dose by the end of the month.
Super sites in Winnipeg and Brandon remain closed until tomorrow, in response to reduced vaccine shipments to Manitoba.
To date, more than 400 medical clinics and pharmacies have applied to be part of the immunization campaign once a suitable vaccine is approved for use in these settings.
Appointments and Eligibility Criteria
Based on vaccine shipment projections, over 8,000 first-dose appointments are currently available for eligible Manitobans to book in the Winnipeg and Brandon super sites.
Eligibility criteria are being expanded to include people who work in congregate living facilities, including licensed personal care homes, born on or before Dec. 31, 1955.
To clarify information provided yesterday, staff in primary care clinics (e.g.family physician and/or nurse practitioner clinics) born on or before Dec. 31, 1960, are eligible for immunization.
To ensure eligible Manitobans can book an appointment, the province advises the toll-free phone number for the call centre is 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC). Everyone who calls is screened to ensure they meet current eligibility criteria before booking an appointment. Please do not call if you are not eligible at this time, as this will delay others who can make an appointment. All current eligibility criteria are posted online at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html.
Currently, 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.
Workforce
To date, 1,212 people have been hired to assist with Manitoba’s vaccination efforts including immunizers, clinic managers, clinical leads, system navigators and observers. This is in addition to 828 staff who have been assigned to COVID-19 immunization efforts from regional health authorities, bringing the total of new hires and existing staff to 2,040.
Vaccine Supply and Distribution
To date, a total of 69,600 doses of vaccine have been delivered to Manitoba. This includes:
• 46,800 doses of Pfizer vaccine; and
• 22,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
Manitoba expects 15,210 doses of Pfizer vaccine this week. Next week, Manitoba is expecting 17,550 doses of Pfizer and 6,100 doses of Moderna. To date, the Astra Zeneca vaccine has not been authorized for use in Canada.
Additional Information
Manitoba’s daily maximum capacity to administer doses of vaccine is currently 10,199. The provincial target is a daily maximum capacity of 20,000 doses by April 1.
The vaccination calculator lets Manitobans see where they are in the priority line, based on their age, vaccine uptake and other factors. The calculator and more information about the vaccine campaign in Manitoba is available at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine.
All data in this bulletin is current as of Feb. 16, unless noted otherwise.
More information about the vaccine campaign in Manitoba is available at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine.
Congregate Living Facilities To Be Visited By Focused Immunization Teams
Focused immunization teams will visit the following congregate living facilities to provide first doses of vaccine to eligible and consenting residents.
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• Feb. 19 – Lions Supportive Housing
• Feb. 22 – Residence Despins Supportive Housing
• Feb. 23 – Victoria General Hospital
• Feb. 24 – Arlington Haus
• Feb. 25 – Grace General Hospital and Assiniboine Links
• Feb. 26 – Dakota House Homestead, Devonshire House I Homestead and Devonshire House II Homestead
Prairie Mountain Health (Brandon)
• Feb. 19 – Brandon Regional Health Centre
• Feb. 22 – Victoria Landing Retirement, Sokol Supportive Housing, Sokol Manor, Rotary Villas at Crocus Gardens, Riverheights Terrace
• Feb. 23 – Hobbs Manor, Village Green, Winnipeg House and Kin Village
• Feb. 25 – McDiarmid Place, Parkview Seniors Co-op, Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing, Grand Valley Place, Lawson Lodge, Princess Park and Princess Tower
• Feb. 26 – Lions Manor, Odd Fellows Corner, The Towers and Kiwanis Courts
First doses of immunizations have also been provided to residents at Gimli Community Health Centre, Teulon Hunter Memorial Hospital, Gladstone Health Centre (transitional beds) and Vita and District Health Centre.
A complete list of all congregate living facilities in the province will be posted at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine under Reports.
