By The Canadian Press
A health-care worker holds up a vial of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Montreal, Thursday, March 18, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
WINNIPEG — Manitobans 40 and over are now able to get the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The Manitoba government has lowered the minimum age eligibility effective immediately, following similar moves by Ontario and Alberta on the weekend.
Until now, the AstraZeneca vaccine in Manitoba was only available to those 65 and over, and to people between 55 and 64 with certain underlying medical conditions.
Health Canada has approved the vaccine for people under 55, but the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended the shot only be offered to those 55 and older due to a slightly elevated risk of an extremely rare blood clot disorder.
There have been two cases of blood clots in Canada out of the more than 700,000 doses of AstraZeneca administered so far.
In Manitoba, the AstraZeneca doses are being distributed through medical clinics and pharmacies.
