Premier Brian Pallister receives a flu shot from Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, at the Manitoba legislature on Thursday, October 15, 2020. (MANITOBA GOVERNMENT / YOUTUBE)
WINNIPEG — Manitobans are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The province on Thursday launched the annual flu vaccination campaign with the tag line “Add a Layer This Fall,” encouraging Manitobans to add an extra layer of protection as the COVID-19 pandemic continues globally.
“It is recommended that all Manitobans six months of age and older receive their influenza vaccine early in the fall each year, but even more so this year as we deal with a surge in positive COVID cases in Winnipeg and throughout the province,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer.
“We know that simple actions and focusing on the fundamentals can help prevent the spread of disease in our communities and within our health-care facilities.”
Roussin says the province has ordered 20 percent more of the vaccine than in previous years. A record 26.3 percent of the population received a flu shot in 2019, with that number expected to climb to 30 percent this year.
Roussin added nearly 150,000 doses have already been distributed to pharmacies, long-term care facilities and clinics.
The 2020-21 campaign will be targeted to those most vulnerable and their caregivers, including specific outreach to the health-care sector and the public service.
The province is also making the high-dose influenza vaccine more widely available for those 65 years of age and older who meet one of the following criteria:
• Residents of supportive and assisted living housing
• Those who are newly incarcerated or transferred from other federal or out of province correctional facilities
• Those receiving home care services while on a waiting list for admission into a long-term care facility
• Those living on a First Nation or in a remote or isolated community
• Those living north of the 53rd parallel of latitude
To find out where to get the flu vaccine, visit Manitoba.ca/flu or call Health Links–Info Santé at (204) 788-8200 in Winnipeg or 1-888-315-9257 (toll-free)
