All people age 12 and up are able to receive their first dose of vaccine, while all Saskatchewan residents age 18 and older who received a Pfizer or AstraZeneca first dose will be able to get a second dose as long as they meet the recommended interval between doses one and two. All people getting a second dose must also provide proof of their first dose. Doses can be done for youths age 12-18 - while Moderna has not yet been approved by Health Canada for people under age 18, Pfizer has been approved for people as young as 12 years old. Consent forms for Pfizer doses can be picked up at Creighton Community School or emailed to parents by requesting a form from the school.
People who have been prescribed any one of a series of heavy-duty medications, including some used for chemotherapy (cyclophophamide), cancer care (alemtuzumab), anti-organ rejection (mycophenolate), immune system suppression (calcineurin inhibitors and/or chronic dose prednisone, over 20 milligrams a day), rheumatoid arthritis (Janus kinase inhibitors) and others, can also qualify for a second dose appointment. People who have received an organ transplant, who are waiting for an organ transplant, who are receiving stem cell transplants and who are receiving dialysis are also eligible for a second dose as of May 21. Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force, said priorities for second doses are aimed at people who already have health issues often made worse or made deadly when COVID-19 enters the fray.
The change is part of a series of clinic reschedulings announced recently by the provincial government, owing to what the province has described as “delays in two deliveries of Moderna vaccine”. According to a provincial announcement, two shipments of Moderna vaccines – one of 28,300 doses expected to arrive March 22 and another 28,400 doses expected to arrive earlier this week – were delayed, with the first shipment arriving April 3 and the second shipment yet to arrive as of April 5. In total, 23 pop-up clinics in 17 different communities have been postponed, most of which are in rural or northern communities. People who have booked vaccination appointments in Flin Flon April 13-15 will be contacted about their appointments, according to the province, with the option to book another appointment at a future pop-up clinic or at a supersite.
Through discussions with people in the region who received the shot and others tasked with organizing vaccination efforts, The Reminder can confirm people in Creighton, Denare Beach and Pelican Narrows have received first doses of the Moderna vaccine. Other communities in the far north east 2 health zone may have received and began administering vaccines, but accounts have not yet been independently verified. Vaccinations in the Creighton/Denare Beach area have taken place at the Creighton Provincial Building health office and have been by appointment only. Vaccinations are now available only to Saskatchewan residents over the age of 75, with the minimum age dropping from 80 Jan. 13.