Manitoba looks to dramatically increase vaccine doses starting in April
Manitoba begins a ramped-up vaccination rollout this spring, and would be prepared to deliver as many as 1.5 million doses in the second quarter of 2021, if they were available, business and industry representatives were told in a conference call with the Economic Development and Jobs department on Tuesday, February 16.
If vaccines become available, Manitoba’s delivery model would have the capacity to administer up to 20,000 doses daily, starting in April. This all depends on the allocation from the federal government’s supply, officials stressed.
Manitoba released its vaccine delivery plan this week, along with a schedule of when cohorts, ranked by priority, can expect to get their vaccination.
Based on the currently approved vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), the province expects 70% of Manitobans older than 18 can be vaccinated by the end of the year. But if new vaccines awaiting approval are delivered, that number can be immunized by the end of August.
The rollout uses vaccination supercentres – such as the one at RBC Convention Centre – specialized delivery at some sites by a dedicated team and then, eventually, pharmacies and physician clinics. This schedule relies heavily on the information for delivery of vaccines from the federal government, and will change if that information is altered, officials said.
Manitoba’s strategy allows it to scale up or down as required, depending on the shipment information from the federal government, which in turn relies on availability of supply from vaccine manufacturers.
Manitoba has chosen to book an appointment for the first dose of a vaccine only when there is enough in-stock, or an expected shipment, for the second dose to be injected within recommended timeframes. Other provinces have chosen to administer all their vaccines in stock, expecting the second to follow in the timeline expected.
To review the immunization plan and data, click here.
These data (and the plan) are subject to regular updates as they become available.
