Manitoba has expanded its eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to include children between 6 months and 4 years of age.
The province is receiving an initial shipment of 14,900 doses of the Modern Children’s Vaccine, which medical director of health Dr. Brent Roussin expects to arrive later this week.
Because this is a limited supply, Roussin says priority will be given to children in this age group who are most at risk for COVID-19, including those who:
- have certain medical conditions, such as:
- chronic lung disease,
- airway abnormalities,
- congenital or chronic heart or circulatory diseases,
- moderate to severe immunocompromised due to illness or medical treatment,
- neurological disorders (including developmental delay),
- diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or any chronic disease related to premature birth; o
- they are first nations, Inuit or Métis, no matter where they live.
Parents and caregivers of eligible children can begin booking appointments Monday, at 8 a.m., using the online vaccine finder, at protectmb.ca, or by calling 1-844-626-8222.
Roussin says appointments will be available at regional vaccine sites, public health offices and medical clinics. A second vaccine shipment is expected in late July or early August.
There are approximately 76,700 children in Manitoba in this age group.
Figures from the province show that so far more than 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Approximately 43% of children aged 5 to 11 years are fully vaccinated and almost 80% of young people aged 12 to 17 have at least two doses of vaccine.