For months, the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba has been reporting alarming COVID-19 numbers. There are a reported 2,780 cases of COVID-19 in First Nations people, while the province reports 3,466 active cases overall. Long before the pandemic arrived in the province, it was predicted First Nations would be hit hard. This has come to pass. First Nations make up more than 50 per cent of COVID cases in Manitoba. Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead for the Manitoba First Nation Pandemic Response and Co-ordination Team, joined Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba’s Vaccination Implementation Task Force, on Monday to address these facts.
Doctors break down Manitoba First Nations COVID numbers
February 2, 2021 Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
For months, the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba has been reporting alarming COVID-19 numbers.
There are a reported 2,780 cases of COVID-19 in First Nations people, while the province reports 3,466 active cases overall.
Finally, yesterday, the provincial government and the secretariat got together to speak to Manitobans.
Long before the pandemic arrived in the province, it was predicted First Nations would be hit hard. This has come to pass.
First Nations make up more than 50 per cent of COVID cases in Manitoba.
Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead for the Manitoba First Nation Pandemic Response and Co-ordination Team, joined Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba’s Vaccination Implementation Task Force, on Monday to address these facts.
The first group eligible for vaccinations were health workers who work directly with patients, often of a certain age or older - workers assigned to COVID-19 immunization clinics, critical care unit workers over age 40, acute care facility workers over age 60 and long term care facility workers over age 58 were eligible for the first shipment of COVID-19 jabs. When asked during the Dec. 15 meeting of Flin Flon city council, Mayor Cal Huntley - who also serves as board chair for the Northern Health Region (NHR) - said he was not aware of a single dose of the vaccine having been brought north.