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Manitoba's vaccine task force speaks on possibility of COVID-19 booster shot

Joss Reimer
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WINNIPEG -

The medical lead of Manitoba’s COVID-19 vaccine task force discussed the possibility of a required third dose, saying there are some scenarios where a booster shot could potentially be needed, but health officials can’t say for sure.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Dr. Joss Reimer said these scenarios include if the effectiveness of the vaccines weaken over time or if the virus mutates and makes the current vaccine less effective.

“People want to know if we will all need a booster shot; the short answer is that it’s still too early to know for sure,” she said.

As of now, Reimer said a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is not recommended.

MORE WAYS TO GET A SHOT

As Manitoba continues its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, it is also finding new ways to make immunizations more accessible.

On Wednesday, health officials announced that staff with the Health Sciences Centre’s emergency department are now trained to administer the vaccine, which means anyone who comes for care can get vaccinated.

Johanu Botha, operations, logistics and planning lead for Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force, noted that people outside of the medical field might not understand the business of emergency departments.

“So for them to be willing to take that extra step, build it into their process to make sure the people they’re caring for during an emergency are protected against COVID once they recover and leave the hospital is exceptional work and we hope to continue to see that across our system,” Botha said.

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