Manitoba expands eligibility for high-dose flu vaccine
When flu season rolls around, the Manitoba government is ensuring more people are being protected from severe illness.
The government announced Wednesday it is expanding eligibility for the high-dose influenza vaccine to include all adults 65 and older.
"Planning is already well underway for this fall's seasonal flu campaign and this is an important change that will protect more older adults," said Health Minister Audrey Gordon in a news release.
Currently, the vaccine is given to people 65 and older who meet eligibility requirements such as those living in long-term facilities or assisted living homes.
"Older adults have a higher risk of flu complications, so protecting seniors is especially important," said Seniors and Long-term Care Minister Scott Johnston in a news release.
The government said this change is in line with recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
"There is good evidence the high-dose influenza vaccine provides better protection for older adults compared to the standard dose influenza vaccine," said Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, in a news release.
He added expanding the eligibility will help improve outcomes among the age group and reduce illness, hospitalization and death.
The high-dose and standard flu vaccines are available to eligible Manitobans at no cost.
The province said more information about the flu vaccine campaign will be released in the coming months.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Remembering legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole. Oh baby, what a life
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.