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Manitoba’s vaccine mandates likely to stay in place until next year: Roussin

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WINNIPEG -

The province is reminding people to keep their proof of COVID-19 vaccination cards handy, as vaccine mandates will be sticking around in Manitoba until next year.

During a media briefing on Monday, Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, said current vaccine mandates will likely stay in effect into the new year.

“Given the state of our health-care system and the demands that respiratory virus season will be likely to put on it, it’s very likely we’ll have to take us through this winter,” said Dr. Roussin.

Currently, Manitobans need to show proof of vaccination for entrance into certain public places, such as gyms, sporting events, concerts, and restaurants. In addition, there are vaccine requirements for employees in certain sectors like health-care and education.

With a third COVID-19 booster shot now being recommended for some Manitobans, the province said not having one won’t affect an individual’s ability to get a vaccine card.

Roussin said there are no immediate plans to make third vaccine doses a requirement to get a vaccination card.

If it were, it would take an unvaccinated person about seven months to be eligible to receive a vaccine card because the third dose is only recommended six months after an individual’s second dose.

Right now, it is only a recommendation for a select portion of the population, including health-care workers, personal care home residents, and First Nations people living on reserve.

“In all of the eligible people now for a third dose, it’s a recommendation to them providing the reasons why," he said, adding it's not impacting their current status as fully vaccinated.

Roussin said following several large events in Winnipeg, including several NHL and CFL games, health officials have not been able to tie any transmission to those events but noted there’s some complexity in linking cases to the events.

“With our relatively low numbers in Winnipeg we would be able to pick up on trends if people were cooperative with the contact tracing,” said Roussin.

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