Province adds new list of eligible works to COVID vaccine list

Age limits are being removed from several priority groups eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The province of Manitoba has updated the latest group of people getting vaccinated for COVID-19. 

As of Tuesday, residents of Manitoba can call to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment if they:

• work in critical care units (no age restrictions);
• work in long-term care facilities, born on or before Dec. 31, 1975;
• work in acute care facilities, born on or before Dec. 31, 1975;
• assigned to a COVID-19 immunization clinic or designated COVID-19 testing site (no age restrictions);
• work in a laboratory handling COVID-19 specimens (new, no age restrictions);
• work on a designated COVID-19 hospital ward (new, no age restrictions); and
• work in provincial or federal correctional facilities (new, no age restrictions).

Later this week 800 appointments will be available. Those meeting the requirements wishing to make an appointment can call between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

These appointments for Pfizer vaccines will be fulfilled at the super centre at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The province says 10,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are being stored at this facility. The government says thousands of these appointments have been booked between January 4 to 10.

Over 5,000 of the 7,300 Moderna vaccines are currently in storage as leadership with First Nations communities decide who their communities get the vaccines and when. The remaining 2,000 doses will be used at personal care homes next week.

Since the rollout, 4,292 people have been vaccinated in Manitoba.