Public Health

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should call 911 immediately.

If you believe a vaccine caused you to have a health issue, you should contact your local health provider. The Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) allows people who have suffered a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving certain vaccines to have fair and timely access to financial support. To qualify for the VISP, some conditions apply:

• The claimant must have received a Health Canada authorized vaccine.
• The vaccine must have been administered in Canada (excluding Québec). Vaccines administered in Québec have a different claim process.
• The vaccine must have been administered on or after December 8, 2020.
• The injury must be serious and permanent (including death).
• The injury must be reported to the healthcare provider.
• The claim must be filed within three years after the date of vaccination, date of death, or date when the injury becomes apparent.

For more information about the program, visit the VISP website here:

vaccineinjurysupport.ca

At this point in time,  you are considered fully immunized if you have received two shots of a COVID vaccine. However, public health officials are suggesting that anyone who is eligible should get an additional booster shot, as these shots have been shown to increase protection against COVID.

For more information about COVID booster shots, visit protectmb.ca/covid-19-vaccine.

Social distancing is a health recommendation, not law. You are not legally required to stay 2 metres away from other people, although this is what health experts have recommended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

However, the Manitoba government has enacted a number of public health orders that you are legally required to follow throughout the province. As of March 15, 2022, these include:

• Travel to and from northern Manitoba (north of the 53rd parallel) is not permitted. Some exceptions apply.

For a full list of up to date information, please visit the Government of Manitoba website here. Individuals who do not comply with the public health order to wear a mask could be fined $298, and could be fined $1,296 for other infractions. Corporations that do not comply could be fined $5,000.

Individuals entering the country must also follow the federal regulations, which can be found here.

There are currently four COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved for use in Canada: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra-Zeneca, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). A vaccine is only approved by Health Canada when there is sufficient data showing that it is safe and effective. You can find more information about how vaccines are approved, and a list of other vaccines currently under review here.

As with any vaccine, there may be side effects associated with receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. You can read more about the side effects here. If you have concerns about receiving the vaccine, you should consult with your doctor before being vaccinated.

You can read more about the vaccines by visiting the Government of Canada’s website here, or visiting the Government of Manitoba’s vaccine Q&A page here.

You can also find more information about COVID-19 vaccines for youth and young adults here.

To learn if you are eligible for a vaccine, click here.

For more information about the available vaccines, visit protectmb.ca.

You can make an appointment to get vaccinated by visiting this link. To book online, you will need to create an account using your email address and your Manitoba Health Card number.

If you prefer to book an appointment over the phone, or if you would rather be vaccinated at a Pop-Up clinic instead of a Super-Site, you must call 1-844-MAN-VACC (1-844-626-8222). Remember to have your Manitoba Health Card number handy if you are booking by phone.

You will need to bring identification, such as your health card or driver’s license. You must also fill out a consent form (which you can do ahead of time by printing out the one found here). You must wear a mask, and you should also wear a short sleeved shirt to make vaccination easier. If you need to, you are allowed to bring a caregiver or family member with you, as long as they also wear a mask.

To help with physical distancing, you should only arrive at the vaccination site 15 minutes before your appointment, but you should plan to stay on the site for 45 minutes.

Both the Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba have information pages about vaccines. There you can find information about the vaccines that have been approved in Canada, a list of possible side effects and risks, and vaccination statistics.

The Government of Canada’s page can be viewed here, and Manitoba’s can be found at protectmb.ca.

Yes. The Government of Canada has made many of their resources about COVID-19 (such as fact sheets and videos) available in a number of languages other than English and French.

You can find links to these resources here.

The Mental Health Virtual Therapy Program is available to all residents of Manitoba 16 years old and older who are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety symptoms as a result of COVID-19.   See Website