Pokes in parks: Vaccine pop-up clinics coming to a Manitoba provincial park near you

COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinics will sproutat Manitoba parks over the next few weeks as part of an effort by the province to boost immunization numbers by going where the people are.

Health teams will set up outside campgrounds, near concession stands or beaches, offering first and second doses, the province said in a news release on Friday.

All doses will be administered on a walk-in basisover a two- to three-hour period, with Pfizer available for the 12-17 age group andModerna for those 18 and older.

Bringing immunization teams into campgrounds makes it easierto reach people where they already are, making immunization easy and accessible, Health and Seniors Care Minister Heather Stefansonsaid in the release.

Focused Immunization Teams (FITs) will be at the following campgrounds on the following days:

• July 16 Childs Lake campground inDuck Mountain Provincial Park, from noon to 2 p.m.
• July 16 Asessippi beach and campground inAsessippi Provincial Park, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• July 17 Kiche Manitou campground inSpruce Woods Provincial Park, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pop-ups are also being planned for the week of July 25 at Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park.

Additionalprovincial, federal and private campgrounds will be added to the listin the following weeks, Stefanson said in the release.

Anyone planning to be immunized at a campground isencouraged to bring a consent form with them, but forms will also be available at the sites.

The rate at which people are getting vaccinated has been levellingoffin Manitoba,which prompted a one-dayvax-a-thonon Wednesday in an attempt toboost to the numbers. The province hoped to dole out 20,000 doses that day but ended up giving out less than half that 9,070.

The percentage of eligible people who've had first doses increased just 0.2 of a percentage point between Wednesday and Thursday, and second doses went up only slightly more, by 0.8, in the same time.

As of Thursday,76.9per cent of eligible Manitobanshad at least one dose and 59.3per cent hadtwo doses,according to the province's vaccination dashboard.

The province has started to offer incentivesfor those who arefully vaccinated.

Those who are two weeks past getting theirsecond dose can go to movie theatres and museums andattend pro sporting events as part of the upcoming changes in restrictions.