Manitoba’s eligibility for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that targets the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has expanded to include anyone over 18, the provincial government announced Wednesday afternoon.
Newly eligible people can start booking appointments at 9 a.m. on Sept. 22 using the online booking system, a news release says.
Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin will hold a news conference about the vaccine at 2 p.m. that will be streamed live here, on CBC Gem and on Facebook.
For the best immune response, public health officials recommend people wait until at least six months after their last dose before getting the bivalent vaccine.
The minimum interval between a person’s last dose and the new bivalent booster is three months.
Bivalent vaccines were initially made available on Sept. 2 to Manitobans 65 and older, and Indigenous people 18 and older.
The bivalent vaccine was developed to provide protection against both the original strain of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
Public health recommends people due for a booster shot opt for the bivalent vaccine instead of a fourth dose of one of the older vaccines.
More than 3,200 doses of the bivalent vaccine have been administered in Manitoba as of Sept. 19, the province says.
An awareness campaign will launch next week, encouraging Manitobans to get their bivalent booster.
More to come
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Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer will give a COVID-19 vaccine update on Wednesday for the first time since he spoke in July and three weeks after deputy chief Dr. Jazz Atwal said “it’s OK to get infected.”
Dr. Brent Roussin will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. CT. CBC Manitoba will live stream it here and on Facebook and CBC Gem.
When Roussin last addressed the public about COVID, he announced plans to roll out vaccines for kids under age five but dismissed questions about expanding eligibility for second boosters beyond those 50 and older or anyone who is First Nations, Inuit or Métis and at least 30.
The most recent vaccine update came from Atwal earlier this month, when he announced eligibility for the updated Moderna vaccine that targets the Omicron variant.
The bivalent vaccine was developed to protect against the original strain of the virus and the variant. In Manitoba, those 65 and older, as well as Indigenous people 18 and older are eligible to receive that booster.
At the time, Atwal strongly suggested that those who are not yet eligible for the bivalent booster should delay getting another shot until they have access to a bivalent vaccine — rather than the monovalent (original) one — because of the broader coverage they will get.
He expected eligibility to increase to those 18 and older soon, based on vaccine supplies and initial uptake among eligible groups.
The delay contradicted the province’s repeated messaging throughout the pandemic to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Asked about that, at the time, Atwal said the focus is on helping those at highest risk of severe outcomes from COVID.
That’s who the initial eligibility included while “others are otherwise relatively healthy,” he said.
“There’s such a focus on infection right now occurring but it’s OK to get infected. You’re building your natural immunity, so that’s good. Most people will get an infection. Most Manitobans have had a COVID infection and most Manitobans have done well.”
Some medical professionals quickly spoke up after Atwal’s comments, saying they minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection, which is not “helpful to people as they try to navigate what personal decisions are right for them.”