All Manitoba children six months of age and older will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine starting Friday morning, the province says in a news release.
previously, only Indigenous children and those with certain health conditions were eligible to receive their shots.
Parents and carers can start booking appointments for newly eligible children at 9am. Children must be at least six months old at the time of their appointment, according to the release.
Health Canada approved the two-dose Moderna vaccine for children six months to four years of age in July.
So far, Manitoba has received 14,900 doses, according to the release. It has sent more than 3,700 to regional vaccine sites and health clinics and another 2,100 to First Nations medical leaders for distribution in their communities.
Vaccine supplies remain limited, but a second shipment of 28,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine is expected to arrive soon. That shipment was delayed and will be the last Manitoba will receive, the release said.
There are approximately 76,700 children in Manitoba in the under-five age group, provincial director of public health Dr. Brent Roussin said last month.
Because the vaccine requires two shots, the province said it will set aside about half its supply to ensure there is enough for second doses and provide the best protection against COVID-19 for children in group d age
Health Canada is also reviewing a vaccine for the age group from Pfizer. If that is approved, more vaccines would be available in the fall, the province said.
The National Immunization Advisory Committee recommends that children between the ages of six months and four years receive a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks before or after any other vaccine to better manage side effects, the province said.
Manitoba’s approach is the same, although children who received a different vaccine within 14 days of their COVID-19 vaccine appointment will not be turned away, the release said.
Parents and caregivers can book appointments directly with medical clinics, using the online vaccine finder or through the toll-free vaccine call center at 1-844-626-8222. Vaccines are currently available at regional vaccination sites, public health offices and medical clinics.
People who need to make more than one appointment at a time should use the phone line, the province said.
Because most immunization data is not reported in real time, limited information is available on how many doses have been given to children in this age group.
The province said more updated information on vaccine uptake among Manitoba’s youngest children will be provided when it becomes available.