Meningococcal vaccine clinics for Winnipeg children

Teary-eyed Élizabeth Levesque gripped her father tightly after receiving a meningococcal vaccine Saturday.

“She did well,” her father Éric told CityNews outside the clinic in St. Boniface.

It was the first of 11 meningitis and measles vaccination clinics put on by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, with several children facing their fears and receiving the shot.

Manitoba is updating its routine childhood vaccines. There will be clinics across Winnipeg – downtown, Seven Oaks, Point Douglas and more – until the end of May.

Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can affect all ages, but children under the age of five have the biggest risk of severe illness.

Steven Johnson and his wife came to Access St. Boniface with their young daughter Saoirse. For many parents, the location and time of the clinic made it an easy stop to get an important shot.

“It’s important to keep up on your vaccines,” Johnson said. “Not just for yourself or for your family, but I think it’s socially responsible and ethically responsible to do what I think is the right thing.

“I just think that everyone should always have their vaccines up to date because it’s what keeps you healthy and everybody else healthy in society.”

Although meningococcal disease is rare, it can be serious and leave long-term complications such as brain damage, developmental delay and in some cases, death.

A quadrivalent vaccine is recommended for infants 12 months of age, and children born between 2020 and Feb. 28, 2023.

Little Kelly Dupont came to the clinic with her father Daniel.

“She did great, she’s very tough,” Daniel said of his daughter.

“I work in the science field. I have a very good understanding of the importance of vaccinations so for us, it’s something that we really wanna keep up with our kids to make sure that they remain as healthy as possible.”

The WRHA is urging families to come to the clinics, including children who were vaccinated with the monovalent meningococcal-C vaccine.

Full list of the remaining 10 clinics:

• April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at ACCESS Fort Garry (135 Plaza Dr.)
• April 23 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at Orioles Community Centre (448 Burnell St.)
• May 2 from 1-6 p.m. at You Matter Wellness Clinic (601 Aikins St.)
• May 3 from 2-5 p.m. at ACCESS Winnipeg West (280 Booth Dr.)
• May 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seven Oaks Arena (745 Kingsbury Ave.)
• May 9 from 1-6 p.m. at You Matter Wellness Clinic (601 Aikins St.)
• May 16 from 12-3 p.m. at ACCESS Transcona (845 Regent Ave.)
• May 16 from 1-6 p.m. at You Matter Wellness Clinic (601 Aikins St.)
• May 23 from 1-6 p.m. at You Matter Wellness Clinic (601 Aikins St.)
• May 30 from 1-6 p.m. at You Matter Wellness Clinic (601 Aikins St.)

Anyone looking for more information can visit the WRHA website.