Thompson COVID-19 immunization supersite opens amid vaccine shortages
To date, 41,817 doses of vaccine have been administered across Manitoba
The vaccine supersite at the Thompson Regional Community Centre opened Monday as the shadow of supply disruptions continues to linger.
Due to further reductions in the Pfizer-BioNTech shipments from the federal government, the Winnipeg and Brandon supersites — which opened Jan. 4 and 13, respectively — are no longer taking appointments. Only a small number of first-dose appointments are available in Thompson, the province said in a news release Monday, while immunizations at personal care homes are continuing ahead of schedule.
While public health officials say it will take some time for benefits of vaccination to be seen, some of those getting the shot are feeling encouraged already.
"I didn't even feel it. They should give you a raise," Vic Kitzul, a part-time orthopedic tech at The Pas Health Complex, told the nurse after becoming the first person to get a shot at the Thompson Regional Community Centre's vaccine supersite.
When told he was going to be first, the 74-year-old Kitzul said he felt two things: real lucky but also old.
He lauded the staff at the supersite — the province's third one after Winnipeg and Brandon. Kitzul also said "it's for your own good," encouraging every Manitoban who is eligible to get the shot.
"If anybody refuses it and they end up in the ICU unit, I don't feel sorry for them," he added.
To date, across Manitoba, 41,817 doses of vaccine have been administered. That includes 32,461 first doses and 9,356 second doses.
Dylan Stacey, a health-care aide at the Thompson General Hospital, said he felt a little nervous in anticipation of getting the Moderna vaccine on Monday but "felt great" afterwards.
WATCH | Thompson vaccine supersite opens:
"I'm honoured to be one of the first people to get it in Thompson," he said.
"It's definitely going to help in going back to our normal lives and just getting rid of this virus."
Care home outbreaks
Mobile immunization teams have now provided a first dose of the vaccine to every consenting and eligible resident at Manitoba's 125 personal care homes — about a week ahead of schedule.
"I think a tremendous feat to get those personal care homes the first dose ahead of schedule and and I think it's really a win for for Manitobans," said Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin.
He doesn't have an exact percentage but believes the uptake in the care homes was "in the high 90s" percentage-wise.
Final data is still being compiled, but as of Jan. 31 an estimated 8,112 residents received their first dose, the province said.
Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer for Manitoba Shared Health, said there are only 50 active cases at 26 personal care homes. Four of those homes have two or more cases, and the remainder have either zero cases or a single case — but are still counted as outbreaks as they are within their incubation period.
That includes a new outbreak announced Monday at Actionmarguerite St. Joseph personal care home in Winnipeg. The facility has been moved to the red, or critical, level on the province's pandemic response system.
Roussin noted it will take some time after the vaccine is administered to see the difference. He says there could be limited benefit 14 days after the first dose, and significant benefits starting "a week or so" after the second dose.
"So we're still a ways away from having everyone fully protected," he said
"And remember, that vaccine has limited effect if you were exposed [to the coronavirus] just days before receiving the vaccine [and] you're incubating it. So we may be a little ways away from seeing the significant benefit from that vaccine."
The immunization teams will return to all personal care homes with a second immunization beginning Feb. 8.
Despite vaccine supply disruptions, all residents will receive both doses within the recommended window, the province said in its news release
Meanwhile, this week these teams will begin immunizing other high-risk or vulnerable people in supportive housing and long-term hospital stay residents, including KeKiNan Centre, the Manitoba Developmental Centre, Vita and District Health Centre and Gladstone Health Centre.
As well, pop-up vaccination clinics to immunize eligible health-care workers in The Pas and Flin Flon will open the week of Feb. 8 — the first time clinics for health-care workers have been set up outside of Manitoba's supersites.
Vaccine supply and distribution
Manitoba is still gauging the impact of the reduction in supply of the Moderna vaccine announced by the federal government on Friday.
It's assessing the effect on booked appointments but said it remains committed to providing second-dose appointments within the recommended timeframe.
To date, a total of 55,650 doses of vaccine have been delivered to the province, including 40,950 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 14,700 doses of the Moderna one.
This week, Manitoba expects to receive shipments of 8,100 Moderna doses and 2,340 Pfizer doses.
Eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine are updated regularly on the provincial government website and have been expanded to include additional designated COVID-19 wards in Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon.
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