Manitoba has launched a public-awareness campaign to boost influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake after last year’s dismal figures.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara is using the slogan, “One visit. Two shots,” to urge residents to make appointments or attend a drop-in to get vaccinated ahead of respiratory virus season.
Asagwara and Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, held a news conference at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Wednesday morning to share details about the annual immunization program.
Asagwara told reporters the government is prepared for the season. The minister noted past decisions such as providing funding for 18 more intensive-care unit beds and eight pediatric ICU beds, and 112 acute-care beds.
“I encourage every Manitoban to get vaccinated and keep yourself, your loved ones and your broader community safe,” Asagwara said in a news release.
Asagwara noted influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are available at medical clinics, ACCESS centres, vaccine clinics, pharmacies, nursing stations and through public health. The RSV vaccine is free to people 60 or older living in long-term care homes, and the province has launched an advertising campaign to inform Manitobans about respiratory virus season and to encourage people to get vaccinated.
“Considerable planning has occurred within the health system in an effort to mitigate or minimize service disruptions during respiratory virus season,” Dr. Jose Francois, chief medical officer with Shared Health, said in the news release.
“This planning has been strongly supported by our partners in government, who have worked in collaboration with clinical leaders to ensure Manitoba’s health system is as fully prepared as it possibly can be for the coming respiratory virus season.”
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca