All Manitobans older than 12 years old can now receive a Pfizer vaccine dose - and they’ll soon be available in Flin Flon.
A walk-in clinic only for youth ages 12-17 will be held May 29 at the Flin Flon Community Hall, according to the Northern Health Region (NHR) At this clinic, people in the targeted age group will be among the first in Flin Flon to receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines - the only vaccine currently approved for use in Canada for people under age 18.
The only location in northern Manitoba where Pfizer vaccines are usually 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. Appointments can be made for 12-17 year olds at the Thompson supersite.
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 17, 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.
“NACI [National Advisory Committee on Immunization] will be issuing updated guidance in the coming weeks.”
Parents hoping to book appointments for their kids are advised to book them in the name of the child getting vaccinated, not in their own name - appointments booked in a parent’s name may be cancelled.
“Manitoba is now in the third wave of COVID-19, where we are seeing more contagious variants of concern, broader spread of the virus in our communities, higher case counts and more serious illness in younger people. The best way to protect ourselves is by being immunized,” reads a provincial bulletin issued May 14.
In Manitoba, eligibility criteria for Moderna vaccines remains the same - all people aged 18 and up, no matter what region of the province they live in, can now book an appointment to get a Moderna dose.
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.
