Brandon Sun By: Michele LeTourneau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Posted:
Chief Norman Bone
Birdtail Sioux First Nation and the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation have both seen COVID-19 vaccine roll out in their communities this week.
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Elders in both communities are at the top of the list.
But Birdtail Chief Ken Chalmers did say vaccine fear is real. He said at least one person is waiting to see how it works out for others. But we’re campaigning to get that done, he said, but that vaccine wasn’t wasted as someone further down the list, according to age, took it.
Brandon Sun
GOVERNMENT OF MANITOBA
Jennifer Cochrane, a Public Health nurse with Prairie Mountain Health in Virden, administers the COVID-19 vaccine to Joanna Robb, the first person in line during the first day of immunizations at the COVID-19 vaccination supersite at the Keystone Centre on Monday.
Despite a glitch in text messaging for the Brandon vaccination site, COVID -19 vaccinations took place as planned Monday morning.
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Despite a glitch in text messaging for the Brandon vaccination site, COVID -19 vaccinations took place as planned Monday morning.
Joanna Robb, who works at Shared Health’s Westman Regional Laboratory, was the first to be vaccinated yesterday morning. Kirsten Boyce, Robb’s co-worker, was the second. They booked their appointments without issue early last week. Both say no one in their workplace had any issues with booking their appointments.
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Calling Metis an “interest group,” as Premier Brian Pallister did Wednesday after touring the Brandon vaccination site, does not sit well with Manitoba Metis Federation David Chartrand.
“It’s insulting,” said Chartrand.
When The Brandon Sun asked Pallister to explain the lack of a COVID-19 data sharing agreement with the federation, including the lack of a partnership to ensure Metis are prioritized for vaccines as First Nations have been, he was quick to bristle.
But instead of answering the question, the premier spoke about Indigenous people generally, First Nations and reconciliation.
“Well, Metis representatives have been at the table and have been part of this. But, of course, Metis people live integrated, for the most part, with the rest of us in the province, as opposed to a lot of the Northern Indigenous communities that do not. And, so, the considerations are not identical, as you would recognize,” he said, when press
Brandon Sun By: Michele LeTourneau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Posted: Save to Read Later
Manitoba Health Minister Heather Stefanson (centre left) and Premier Brian Pallister (centre right) tour the COVID-19 immunization super-site at the Keystone Centre on Wednesday.
(Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun-POOL)
Premier Brian Pallister, along with Heather Stefanson, his new Minister of Health and Seniors Care, travelled to Brandon Wednesday to tour the Keystone Centre the location of the province’s second major vaccination site.
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Premier Brian Pallister, along with Heather Stefanson, his new Minister of Health and Seniors Care, travelled to Brandon Wednesday to tour the Keystone Centre the location of the province’s second major vaccination site.