Who is eligible for a medical exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine in Manitoba
Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force has specified who is eligible for a temporary or permanent medical exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Medical Lead Dr. Joss Reimer made the announcement at a news conference Wednesday.
“As I’ve said before, the vast majority of eligible Manitobans can and should be immunized to protect themselves and the people around them,” Dr. Reimer said. “However, we did recognize that we needed a process for this small group of people who have a significant and legitimate medical reason for being exempt from getting the vaccine.”
Reimer said exemptions are available to Manitobans in three scenarios; those who have had a severe reaction after the first dose of the vaccine, such as myocarditis or Guillain-Barré syndrome; those who are currently receiving treatment that affects their ability to mount an immune defense; and those who had a severe allergy or anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose that cannot be managed by the Health Sciences Centre Allergy Clinic.
Reimer said these exemptions are intentionally aimed at a small group of people.
“I do want to be very clear that the process is not a note from your doctor,” Dr. Reimer said.
Reimer said those who think they are eligible for a medical exemption should first contact their primary health care provider to discuss their condition and to determine whether they should be submitted to a clinical specialist for review.
“Most people who would be eligible for an exemption, which may be temporary, will already have an ongoing relationship with a specialist physician, but some of those cases that I listed may require a referral,” Dr. Reimer said.
Each case must also be submitted to the Vaccine Implementation Task Force.
Reimer said the task force is also developing a way to ensure those with a valid medical exemption have something available to them that is equivalent to the vaccination card. This is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.