Manitoba to start booking 2nd dose COVID-19 vaccinations Friday

Second dose appointments for someCOVID-19 vaccines will open Friday in Manitoba, but those who received the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab will have to wait a little longer.

The newly opened appointments will be reserved for priority groups with certain health conditions or compromised immune systems who have already received a first dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, officials said during a technical briefing Wednesday morning.

Evidence suggests waiting a minimum of three months before getting a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine maximizes theimmune protection, Dr. Joss Reimer said Wednesday.

Reimer spoke at a news conference where daily COVID-19 numbers are usually reported,but the update that typically comes out daily at 12:30 p.m. was delayed Wednesday due to a technical issue, the province said.

WATCH | How the province will use AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses:

Dr. Joss Reimer on how the province will use AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses

3 years ago

Duration 1:39

Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba's vaccine task force, said Wednesday the province will continue to follow evidence recommending a minimum three-month wait between first and second dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine. However, in some cases, doctors or pharmacists may administer second doses of AstraZeneca when circumstances suggest a patient would benefit from an earlier shot.

Manitoba is adhering to that rule generally for now, and based on when AstraZeneca shots were rolled out, that means those who have received one shot of that vaccine will have to wait to book a second dose.

In some cases, doctors or pharmacists may administer second doses of AstraZeneca when circumstances suggest a patient would benefit from an earlier shot, said Reimer, the medical lead of Manitoba's vaccine task force.

People who will receive priority access to Pfizer and Moderna second doses include those on dialysis or taking certain immune suppressing medications, as well as people with severe heart failure, liver cirrhosis, HIV or Down syndrome. Organ and stem cell recipients are also on the list.

Anyone who has home care more than four times a week or who receives round-the-clock support from the Community Living DisAbility Services program will also get access Friday.

A full list of priorityconditions is available on the province's website.

There are about 26,000 Manitobans in this category who have already received first doses, said Johanu Botha, operations lead of the vaccine task force.

The next wave of second dose appointments will be allocated to the first people who gotvaccinated without getting a second shot. That could happen by next week, Botha said.

Those who become eligible will need to provide the date of their first jab as well as the type of vaccine they received. That information is accessible through the Shared Healthwebsite or by calling local public health departments.

There have been reports of partially or fully immunized Manitobans putting off getting COVID-19 tests despite being symptomatic, Reimer said.

While the vaccine confers a significant amount of protection even after one dose, in rare cases, it's still possible to getCOVID-19.

Reimer urged even vaccinated Manitobans to get tested for COVID-19as soon as possible if they're symptomatic.

"Err on the side of caution," she said."We want you to be safe, and we want you to keep those around you safeand going for a test is your best option."

The second dose announcement comes a few days after Manitoba opened up vaccine eligibility to everyone 12 and up and saw a record number of appointments booked in a day.

So far, about 53 per cent of adult Manitobans have received at least one dose.

Everyone who is eligible and interestedis expected to have thefirst dose by June 9.

This week Manitoba expects to receive over 73,700 doses of Pfizer,37,600 Moderna and 23,000 AstraZeneca.

Reimer announced last week that the province will mostly pause first-dose appointments of the AstraZenecavaccine, citing recent news about the vaccine and supply issues.

AstraZeneca will mostly be reserved for people who received that vaccine for their first dose. After that, it's unclear when Manitoba will receive more AstraZeneca, provincial officials said.

Manitoba is considering giving at least some ofthose who received a first dose of AstraZeneca, which uses a viral vector technology, asecond dose of an mRNA-based product, such as Pfizeror Moderna, Reimer said earlier.

However, Bothasaid on Wednesday that Manitoba is holding off on recommending the mixing of different vaccines until more studies are released.

WATCH | How Manitoba's second doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be rolled out:

Johanu Botha on how Manitoba's second doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be rolled out

3 years ago

Duration 1:06

Johanu Botha, operations lead of Manitoba's COVID-19 vaccine task force, said Wednesday the province will open second dose appointments starting Friday for priority health groups, and then proceed through the rest of the population based on when individuals had their first dose.

Manitoba launched a public opinion survey on Wednesday in hopes of learning more about hesitancy and perspectives on vaccines, and personal experiences with the immunization process or COVID-19.

The hope is survey results will reveal hesitancy trends that can inform education and outreach programs targeting specific communities with reservations about getting immunized, Reimer said.

Manitoba will also soon begin posting vaccine uptake rates online with breakdowns by regional health authority, sex, and first and second doses, she said.

The province expects to open a second supersite in the Northern Health Region early next month, bringing the number of those immunization centres to 12.

Those eligible for vaccination can visit the province's website to book an appointment or call 1-844-626-8222.