900 more health-care workers in Manitoba to get COVID-19 vaccine

WINNIPEG — An additional 900 health-care workers in Manitoba will be getting the COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week.

On Friday, the province announced it has confirmed a second shipment of the Pfizer vaccine.

“This was a monumental week in Manitoba as the first few hundred doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to the first priority group of health-care providers, bringing long-awaited hope to many Manitobans and protection for the health-care system,” said Premier Brian Pallister in a news release.

Pallister noted by the end of the day Friday, the first 900 health-care workers will be vaccinated.

The immunization clinic opened on Wednesday at the University of Manitoba Rady Faculty of Health Sciences campus for its initial three-day run.

The criteria for eligible health-care workers remains the same as the first group:

This second round of appointments will take place from Dec. 21 to 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The province said information on how to book an appointment has been sent internally to the health-care system.

As of Friday evening, the province said 420 appointments had been filled. Eligible workers can make appointments by phone daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. until all available spaces are filled.

“We expect additional shipments of the vaccine in the coming weeks and we will expand eligibility criteria as supply is confirmed from the federal government so we can work toward providing a vaccine to all Manitobans who wish to receive one,” said Pallister.