Manitoba health officials shorten timeline between doses, urge residents to get vaccine booster immediately
CTV
Health officials are shortening the timeline for some Manitobans to get their vaccine booster shot ahead of the holiday season.
Health officials are shortening the timeline for some Manitobans to get their vaccine booster shot ahead of the holiday season.
The province is now recommending Manitobans who are 60 years of age or older and have received their second dose on or before July 10, and all Manitobans 18 or older living in a First Nations community, should get a third dose as soon as possible.
Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for the vaccine task force, made the announcement Friday afternoon during a news conference.
The current recommendation for Manitobans under 60 to wait six months between the second and third dose hasn’t changed.
Reimer is also urging Manitobans to get a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they’re eligible, citing the recent rise in cases.
“The increasing new cases are concerning,” Reimer said. “Right now, our health-care system is significantly strained. Responding to these cases will become even more difficult.”
She added the combination of waning immunity, group indoor gatherings, and breakthrough cases across the province is a concern, and says with the holidays coming up, the risk of local spread is greatly increased.
