Province encourages vaccinations with one-day walk-in event at supersites
Posted July 14, 2021 5:19 pm.
WINNIPEG (CityNews) — Manitobans took part in a no-appointment vaccine marathon on Wednesday, with vaccine supersites welcoming walk-ins all day long in order to boost Manitoba’s inoculation rate.
Twenty thousands doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were made available for the one-day vaccination push at all nine of the province’s supersites.
Dozens of people lined up at some locations before the doors even opened.
“We got the announcement that today is going to be walk-in so we decided to come and we got it,” said Emmanuel Opera, who showed up with his family to get vaccinated.
“We came to have our complete doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Opera stood in line with his two kids at the RBC vaccine supersite after hearing Pfizer shots were put aside for kids aged 12-17. Both his kids received the shot, while he got the Moderna vaccine.
The father said he is happy to have his whole family vaccinated.
“We know how devastating the COVID-19 infection can be,” he said. “The virus is so aggressive, especially the variants.”
Before 9 a.m. Wednesday, the province tweeted the first 500 walk-ins at RBC were inside being vaccinated, with more people entering every 10 minutes.
Today, all super-sites across Manitoba are offering walk-ins! For those attending, Pfizer doses are currently earmarked for youth aged 12-17. There are plenty of Moderna doses for everyone 18+. Thank you for doing your part to help #ProtectMB. pic.twitter.com/Y0p8jbZthd
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) July 14, 2021
Manitoba has already exceeded vaccination goals set for the August long weekend, which means relaxed health restrictions are on the horizon.
Manitoba’s vaccination rollout has been making steady progress in recent weeks. There has also been a sharp drop in daily case counts of late — 53 new infections were reported Wednesday and no deaths.
Seth Franklin got his second COVID-19 shot on Wednesday. He says he is now looking forward to enjoying the summer.
“I’m waiting to get my card,” he said. “I want to be able to go to the patio, I want to hang out with my friends, I want to go out again.
“Wanted to do it together with the family. I was kind of nervous to do it myself deal so… wanted to come out with friends and family.”
Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of Manitoba’s vaccine implementation task force, thanked Manitobans who came out to get their shots during the vax-a-thon.
While she acknowledged some people are uncertain about vaccines, she says there is more available information about vaccine ingredients than there is about some over-the-counter products we ingest without a second thought.
“The science behind these vaccines is solid,” said Reimer. “They are safe, effective, and built on technology we know and understand.
“We have more data, more studies, more safety information on the effect of vaccines, than we do on any dietary supplement. Even on the effects of something like protein powder.”
