Immunocompromised people in Manitoba, those looking to travel can get third COVID-19 vaccine dose
Manitobans with certain conditions that leave them immunocompromised will be able to receive a third dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, along with those who are looking to travel.
Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba’s vaccine task force, said on Wednesday the third dose will be available to people with certain conditions, including those who are receiving chemotherapy, or those who wish to receive a third dose for travel purposes.
A third dose will also be available for Manitobans who have received one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not approved by Health Canada.
The process takes effect Wednesday.
Reimer said the decision follows guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization released last week.
“For those who are immunocompromised, two doses of the vaccine may not provide adequate defence against COVID-19, particularly given concerns of the highly contagious Delta variant,” she said.
In addition to those receiving chemotherapy, other medical conditions that are accepted include people who have received a solid organ transplant, people living with untreated or advanced HIV-AIDS, and people taking medications that severely affect their immune system.
A full list can be found online.
People who are immunocompromised, or would like to receive the third dose for travel purposes, must be immunized by their health-care provider.
Those who received a vaccine not approved by Health Canada can be immunized at pop-up sites, vaccine clinics, or by their health-care provider.
The third dose should be given a minimum of 28 days after the most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Reimer said the third dose is primarily for people who haven’t received enough of an immune response after two doses.
“We’re not talking about the general public, or people with an immune system that functions normally, we’re talking about people who really need that additional trigger before their immune system is able to respond in a way that is more protective for them,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.