February 1, 2021

Watch news conference

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Public health officials from the First Nations Pandemic Response Co-ordination Team (PRCT) and Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force today announced vaccination plans to protect First Nations people from across the province from COVID-19.

“First Nations people experience severe and significant effects of COVID-19, with an increasing proportion of cases and over-representation in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and death,” said Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice dean, Indigenous health and public health lead for Manitoba First Nation PRCT. “This means we need to ensure First Nations in Manitoba have access to the vaccine in an equitable and timely way – both to protect those most at risk, and to protect our health-care system from being overwhelmed.”

To date, 5,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been allocated to First Nations communities, with an additional 5,300 doses to be provided in mid- to late-February to be used as second doses for these individuals. Vials have been shipped to 63 First Nations to vaccinate:
• Health-care workers in remote/ isolated communities;
• residents and staff of personal care homes or Elder Care facilities;
• individuals 60 years and over in remote/ isolated communities; and
• individuals 70 years and over in non-remote communities.

“Because of the strong collaboration between First Nations and government partners, we have excellent First Nations-specific COVID-19 data that has guided our public health response and is informing these vaccine plans,” continued Anderson.

“The vaccination plans being announced today will ensure First Nations people have the maximum protection possible and is responsive to our shared priorities,” said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical officer of health and medical lead of the Vaccine Implementation Task Force.

The public health officials noted it is important to recognize that First Nations people who meet any current provincial eligibility criteria, such as health-care workers in the specified categories, will continue to be able to phone and book appointments as available at the super sites.

Moving forward, Anderson confirmed an additional 1,200 doses of Moderna have been made immediately available for further First Nations prioritizations and will be used for the following priority groups:
• health-care workers in non-remote First Nations communities to ensure they are able to access appointments while the supply of the Pfizer vaccine is delayed at the super sites, including health-care workers with direct patient/ client interaction, such as doctors, nurses, health-care aides, home care workers, medical transportation drivers, and other direct service providers;
• First Nations alternative isolation accommodation (AIA) workers at sites managed/ supported by First Nations organizations; and
• Traditional Healers/ Knowledge Keepers, as they play a key role as part of the health workforce, to ensure those who did not meet the age criteria or who live off-reserve can also access vaccination if they choose.

These Moderna doses will be available through a pop-up site in Winnipeg, and also at hubs in Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon. Where the number of eligible health-care workers is high enough, doses may be shipped directly to the community.

Reimer noted the province continues to expand its immunization efforts in the north. Over the next two weeks, eligible individuals in Northern Affairs communities including War Lake First Nation / Ilford, York Landing, Thicket Portage, Pikwitonei, Lynn Lake and Marcel Colomb First Nation, Leaf Rapids and Gillam / Fox Lake Cree Nation can receive their first dose of vaccine.  First doses will also be available this week in Churchill to residents of the Elder care ward, Elders in community aged 70 or older, and health-care workers.

A Focused Immunization Team will visit KeKiNan Centre, an assisted-living facility for Indigenous seniors in Winnipeg, to offer first-dose immunizations this week.
 
Work will also continue with the Vaccine Implementation Task Force to ensure equitable access within the broader provincial vaccination plans. This includes ensuring younger First Nations people are able to access the vaccine sooner, both on and off reserve.

“Life expectancy for First Nations people is lower than for other Manitobans and the median age of severe outcomes is also much lower for First Nations people. And right now, First Nations people make up 50 per cent of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and 40 per cent of intensive care unit admissions,” said Anderson. “We will address this by ensuring younger First Nations people have access to the vaccine sooner to address the higher risk to First Nations people.”

AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas stated, “I acknowledge and thank the First Nations PRCT for their continued exceptional work in the past 10 months and going forward. This diligent work continues to ensure that the safety and well-being of all Manitoba First Nation citizens are prioritized. I further acknowledge and thank our Manitoba First Nation Chiefs for their direction and quick thinking early last spring to assemble the PRCT. It was their forward thinking that ensured that we would be in the best possible position going forward.”

In Stage 2 of the province’s vaccine rollout plans, the province will begin offering vaccination to people over the age of 80. When this begins, First Nations people over the age of 60 will be able to access the COVID-19 vaccine. This will ensure the higher levels of risk experienced by First Nations people is addressed based on the epidemiological evidence and disproportional impact of COVID-19 on First Nations people in Manitoba.

“This approach is beneficial for First Nations people and all Manitobans,” said Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefanson. “It is essential that we ensure equitable access to vaccines for First Nations people to reduce their risk, but also to reduce the strain on hospitals and allow the reinstatement of services such as elective surgeries.”

Within the congregate living facilities prioritization, the proportion of First Nations individuals will also be taken into account to ensure the higher levels of risk experienced by First Nations people is recognized.

The public health officials also noted that next steps including focusing planning on how to support urban Indigenous populations, and reaching out to Métis and Inuit counterparts to develop these plans. 

For more information on Manitoba’s overall COVID-19 vaccination plans, visit:
https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/index.html.

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The Province of Manitoba is distributing this news release on behalf of the Manitoba government and the First Nations Pandemic Response Co-ordination Team.