Manitoba approves COVID-19 booster vaccines to First Nations people living on reserve
Manitoba public health officials are now recommending a third COVID-19 shot for First Nations people living on reserve.
Officials said the dose should only be given at least six months after a person’s last vaccine.
Dr. Marcia Anderson, the public health lead for First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team, said the risk of a severe outcome for fully vaccinated individuals is much lower than for those who are not, but noted some severe outcomes have been observed in individuals who received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“Due to context within First Nations communities, it’s essential that we decrease transmission as well as preserve our local health care capacity,” said Anderson.
As of October 15, 36 new cases of COVID-19 were reported among First Nations, which represents 39 per cent of all cases in the province. Of those cases, 31 were on reserve.
Anderson said First Nations are also seeing rising hospitalization rates, with 28 people in hospital on Friday, with five patients in the ICU.
Test positivity rates on reserve are the highest in the province at 10 per cent. While the majority of positive COVID-19 cases have been identified in the north, Anderson said 17 different First Nation communities have active cases.
Anderson said the number of breakthrough infections has been increasing since August, but said it’s unclear if this is due to waning immunity or to other factors like overcrowded housing that can contribute to increased transmission rates.
About two thirds of those breakthrough infections are happening on reserve
“The combination of time since vaccination, plus viral load because of these factors is what I think we are seeing here,” said Anderson.
The Integrated Vaccine Operations Centre will oversee the third dose rollout and co-ordinate other supports that communities may need. Third doses are expected to be available in all 63 communities to those eligible within the month.
Due to the initial First Nation vaccine rollout, the booster shot will first be given to elders, people age 60-years-old and older in remote First Nation communities, 70-year-old and up in non-isolated areas and to health-care workers.
The vaccine given will be predominately Moderna, to match previously given vaccines.
Anderson said work is currently underway to identify those eligible for the booster as well as identifying any individuals who have yet to be fully vaccinated.
Public health officials estimate this will affect about 7,200 individuals.
“I’m hopeful that this boost to the immune system of people who are fully vaccinated to decrease transmission in the communities and dampen the impacts of the fourth wave overall,” said Anderson.
A timeline for booster shots for off reserve First Nations people was not given.
The expansion comes as Norway House Cree Nation is asking for help to manage an outbreak.
Chief Larson Anderson said cases are rising daily in the community – hitting 234 total cases on Saturday.
He said the community located about 800 km north of Winnipeg needs a team to come in and help with contact tracing and testing.
"We are doing everything we can to contain these positive cases," Larson said in a statement.
"Our teams are exhausted and burnt out."
As for other higher-risk BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) groups, Anderson said due to the vaccine rollout, there would not be very many individuals who had passed the six-month mark from their second dose.
Overall, almost 200,000 vaccine doses have been administered to approximately 105,000 First Nation people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.