First members of general public get doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Manitoba

Manitoba has reached a new milestone in its COVID-19 vaccine rollout as the first members of the general public received their initial shots Monday afternoon.

Anyone born on or before Dec. 31, 1930, and First Nations people born on or before Dec. 31, 1950, are eligible to receive the vaccine.

The first appointments for members of the general public took place at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg.

Nina Luhowy, 93, was one of those people, rolling down her light pink sweater to get her first shot Monday afternoon.

"So far so good. I cannot complain," she said after getting her shot.

Gisella Greshner, 97, also got her first dose Monday afternoon, getting some help from her grandson, who brought her to her appointment.

In recent weeks, vaccination appointments have been limited to certain priority groups such as health-care workers and long-term care residents.

The province has said it plans to vaccinate the general public based on age, with those aged 90 or older at the front of the line.

As of Monday morning, the province said that76,670 doses of vaccine hadbeen administered including 47,780 first doses and 28,890 second doses.

Beginning this week, Manitobans living in several northern communities will be able access immunizations at the supersite in Thompson.

Eligible Manitobanscan also begin booking their immunization appointmentsat the Selkirk supersite, locatedat the former Selkirk and District General Hospital,starting Monday.

Immunizations will start at the site on Monday, March 8.

Health officials have said that under the low-supply scenario which assumedusing onlyPfizer-BioNTechand Modernavaccines the province estimatedit would complete vaccinations by the end of November.

Under the high-supply scenario, which assumed a third vaccine would become available, the province could complete vaccinations by the end of August.

Health Canadaannounced last Fridayit had approved the vaccine developed byOxford University and AstraZeneca, clearing the way for millions more doses of vaccine to come into the country.