Province urges parents to make sure their children get their first vaccination dose by July 27

Parents wanting to ensure their child is fully immunized by the first day of school on September 7th are being encouraged by Dr. Joss Reimer, the province’s medical lead for Manitoba’s vaccination task force, to book their child’s first vaccination by July 27^th.

“It’s a good time to add this to your summer calendar,” says Dr. Reimer.

Children who will not have their first vaccine dose by July 27^th risk starting the school year without being fully immunized. People who get vaccinated are required to wait 28 days between their first and second doses, and then it takes about 14 days before “maximum immunity” is reached.

That timeline means children should have their second vaccination dose by August 24^th. This will give them enough time to head back to school with the strongest possible protection against the coronavirus.

Youth between the ages of 12-17 who get their first dose by August 2^nd and their second dose by September 6 will be automatically entered in the province’s vaccine lottery. Several $25,000 post-secondary scholarships will be handed out by the province to youth who meet these criteria.

To find more COVID-19 information and locate a vaccination clinic near you, contact the province’s vaccine website or call 1-844-626-8222.