A COVID-19 vaccine is on its way to Manitoba.
The provincial government announced in a Dec. 9 media briefing that a first shipment of 1,950 doses of the Pfizer vaccine would arrive in Winnipeg next week, able to vaccinate 900 Manitobans at first. Further doses will be on the way following the first shipment.
鈥淚鈥檝e got to be frank today 鈥� I鈥檓 quite excited about this announcement. We鈥檙e talking about something that will save lives and that is the COVID-19 vaccine,鈥� said Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister.
The first groups eligible for the vaccine will include what the province considers to be "vulnerable groups" - health workers, elderly people, long-term residents of medical or seniors' facilities, people living in remote Indigenous communities and others.
鈥淭his is the most challenging public health situation that our province, our government, any government in our jurisdiction has ever faced, but I want Manitobans to have the confidence to know their government is up to the challenge,鈥� said Pallister.
鈥淭he planning for this effort has been underway, literally, for months. It鈥檚 been led by our public health experts.鈥�"I want to emphasize that this will take time," said Pallister.
Among the prioritized groups that will receive COVID-19 vaccines will be residents in remote, northern communities. Cases in larger northern communities, such as Flin Flon, The Pas, Thompson and Cross Lake, are seeing declines, but cases reported in smaller areas such as Shamattawa or the Island Lake health district are climbing.
鈥淲e want to have broader access to our northern and remote communities. We know there are higher risks there. That听 is a partnership that we must have, in terms of working with our Indigenous leadership and the federal government, to ensure that for example, our precious Elders in these communities get that vaccine as early as possible. That is very important going forward,鈥� Pallister said.
It is unknown how many of the initial 1,950 doses - if any - will be earmarked for northern communities.
Manitoba chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said health officials have been sorting out any logistical issues for months in preparation for a vaccination campaign, citing a provincial vaccine implementation task force.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e making and adjusting plans for delivering this vaccine to every Manitoban who wants it. This is an enormous undertaking, when you consider all the details, big and small, that must go into these sorts of plans 鈥� storage, delivery, other logistical challenges. These vaccines add to the degree of complexity,鈥� Roussin said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e ready. We鈥檙e recruiting people to lend their skills to a vaccine campaign, starting today. We are procuring all the resources we need to get needles into arms.鈥�
The Pfizer vaccine, the one that will be shipped at first to Manitoba, received Health Canada approval Dec. 9. It has been approved for use for people who are at least 16 years old. The vaccine consists of two injections - a first, then a second dose three weeks later. In testing earlier this year, the vaccine proved to be 95 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 infection starting a week after the second dose.
Side effects of the vaccine, according to Health Canada, can include pain at the injection site and feeling tired or feverish, similar to side effects after some forms of the normal flu shot.
"Health Canada has conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available medical evidence to assess the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. No major safety concerns have been identified in the data that we reviewed," reads the official Health Canada approval announced Dec. 9.
The vaccine will require cold storage in order to stay viable - between -60 and -90 degrees Celsius. The province is currently obtaining freezers and dry ice to allow for further storage of the vaccine after the first shipment arrives.
While the news is a positive in the fight against the disease, Pallister said the fight is not over against COVID-19.
"While there's hope now and we all have that hope that comes with this news and this vaccine, I want to remind Manitobans that the vaccine is not here yet, so in the meantime, it's crucial we continue to follow the fundamentals - limit your close contacts,听 no gathering with people outside your household," said Pallister.
Information on how to book a vaccine appointment and dates for vaccinations clinics, including ones specific for health workers, will be announced at a later date.
"The first shipment we receive will vaccinate less than one per cent of our population. Remember to be diligent. I ask all Manitobans to be patient until that day arrives when we can vaccinate all of us who want to get this vaccine," Pallister said.
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