Mixed news on the vaccine eligibility front came for northern Manitoba Friday. All Manitobans older than 12 years old can now receive a vaccine dose, but people ages 12-17 can only get appointments to receive Pfizer vaccines, which aren't available in most of northern Manitoba.
The only location in northern Manitoba where Pfizer vaccines are readily available is at the Thompson provincial "super-site" at the Thompson Regional Community Centre, which has the proper equipment - including super-cold freezers - to safely administer and store Pfizer doses. Elsewhere in the north, pop-up clinics featuring shots of Moderna vaccines have been open for several weeks, including one in Flin Flon at the Flin Flon Community Hall. Pop-up clinics at the Flin Flon Community Hall include walk-in clinics (no appointment necessary) May 20-21 and another pop-up clinic date (appointment needed) May 28.
The Pfizer vaccine was approved recently by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to be used for people as young as 12. The Moderna vaccine, as of May 14, is approved for people age 18 and up, but not for anyone younger.
"The vaccine is approved for people who are 18 years of age and older. Its safety and effectiveness in people younger than 18 years of age have not yet been established," reads the PHAC's official guidance on the Moderna vaccines.
Eligibility criteria for Moderna vaccines remains the same - all people age 18 and up in Manitoba can now book an appointment to get a Moderna dose.
When they're able to get it, people ages 12-15 can attend their appointment with a parent, guardian or caregiver or bring a signed consent form - if a teenager seeking a vaccine appointment has neither, they will be spoken with by a clinical lead in what the province calls an "informed consent process" to determine whether or not they want to continue with getting the vaccine. People ages 16-17 can sign their own consent form for their appointments.
