COVID-19 Vaccine Bulletin #23
January 11, 2021

A total of 10,353 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Manitoba to date.  
 
Vaccinations began today in personal care homes across the province through Focused Immunization Teams (FITs). It is expected that all personal care home residents will receive their first vaccine dose within the next 28 days. Details on this campaign can be found at https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=50180&posted=2021-01-06.
 
The eligibility criteria for immunization are being expanded today to include:
•    home care workers born on or before Dec. 31, 1965 (changed from Dec. 31, 1960) who are employed by a regional health authority (RHA), employed by a RHA contracted service providers or employed by a self- and family-managed care program client.  
 
For a full list of those who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine in Manitoba, please visit http://www.manitoba.ca/vaccine.   
 
Eligible individuals can now start booking appointments at the Keystone Centre super-site in Brandon, which opens on Monday, Jan. 18. There are many appointments available from Jan. 18 to Jan. 24. A portion of this week’s Pfizer vaccine shipment arriving in Manitoba will be sent to the Brandon super-site in advance of the opening.
 
Individuals who have already booked an appointment for the Winnipeg super-site are encouraged to keep their appointment at this time. However, individuals with existing appointment(s) at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg can shift their appointment to the Keystone Centre if necessary, by calling the same confidential booking number used to make the original appointment.  
 
Manitoba's vaccination strategy has been built based on guidance from several other jurisdictions as well as the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).  However, the new guideline from NACI today provides some shifts in recommendations around eligibility for the vaccine and an extension to the time between doses to 42 days. Manitoba's vaccination task force is closely reviewing the recommendations to determine how to adjust the province's immunization campaign.
 
More information about the vaccine campaign in Manitoba is available at www.manitoba.ca/vaccine.
 
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