Jessi Bittner, a paramedic, inoculates Margaret Watson, 94, a resident at Oakview Place Long Term Care Residence, with her COVID-19 vaccine in the Winnipeg care home, Monday, January 11, 2021. Watson was the first member of the public to receive the vaccine in Winnipeg. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister listens in as Minister Heather Stefanson speaks at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, Tuesday, November 7, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — All eligible residents living in Manitoba’s personal care homes will have received the COVID-19 vaccine by Saturday, the province says.
Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefanson said Friday all of the first doses of the two-shot vaccines will have been completed by this weekend.
“We had committed to ensuring all first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were available in all licensed personal care homes within 28 days. Today, I’m pleased to announce this vital step in our immunization plan will be completed in three weeks,” said Stefanson.
Residents living at Meadowood Manor, Southeast Personal Care Home, Concordia Place and Fred Douglas Lodge will be completed today in Winnipeg. On Saturday, the McCreary-Alonsa Health Centre will be the final site where residents will receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from providers who are part of a Focused Immunization Team (FIT).
As of January 27, 5,259 PCH residents had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
A vaccine rollout plan released by the province earlier this week dictated the next stages of the immunization road map, which includes targeting Manitobans based on age.
Stefanson says once additional vaccines arrive in Manitoba, the province will be in a position to rapidly deploy a provincewide immunization campaign.
Manitoba will receive 12,870 fewer doses (11 trays) of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of March, meaning the province will receive 161,460 doses, instead of the planned 174,330.
