Mistrust, religion, fear of side-effects feed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Winkler and Morden, residents say

Lorne Burtis unsure whether he will get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The Winkler, Man., resident tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year, but experienced mild symptoms. He's his own boss and works from home, and isn't often out in public generally though he follows public health protocols when he is.

Burt just doesn't trust the vaccine yet.

"Do I get a flu shot?Yes. Do I get my kids vaccinated or the booster shots? Yes I do. Those have been around for multiple years. The actual hard proof is there that they're safe," Burtsaid, adding he even got the H1N1 vaccine.

"If I felt that that it was an absolute necessity for me to get [the COVID-19 vaccine], I would. ButI just don't think the data is there yet."

Burt is one of many southern Manitoba residents who, for various reasons,hesitate to roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 immunization.

Nearly 36 per cent of adults in Manitoba have received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Thursday, provincial data shows.

But there are pockets where there arelow turnouts and it's becoming a significant concern for Manitoba public health officials.

During aprovincial technical briefing Wednesday, officials flagged the 10 areas with the lowest vaccine uptake.The top three regions were in southern Manitoba.

Only 6.1 per cent of people in the Stanley health district, which surrounds Winkler and nearbyMorden, Man., have received at least one dose. In the Winkler health district specifically, the uptakeis 13.6 per cent.

The rural municipality of Hanover, which covers an areanorth, west and south of Steinbach, has seen 14.9 per cent of its residents get at least one dose.

"It's sad," saidDaynaJonasson, a Morden resident who works at a personal care home in Winkler. She was one of the first health-care workers to be vaccinated, receiving her second dose on Jan. 28.

"I work with the most vulnerable sector of the communityso I'm a firm believer in not only getting our residents vaccinated, but also getting our staff vaccinated."

The reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the area are complex, though not surprising given past hesitancy toward flu shots and child immunizations, Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba's vaccine task force, said during a news conference Wednesday.

"They're worried about long-term effects. They are worried it may have been created too fast. Then there's the extreme conspiracy theories," said Elizabeth Thompson, a general surgeon in Winkler who fields questions about the vaccine once or twice a day.

"There is enough good evidence to say that the concerns that they have are certainly real, but that they are much lower than the risk of getting COVIDitself."

Winkler, in particular, has a younger population, which may be playing a part in the low uptake too, she said.

Some people CBC News spoke with said they simply don't believe in the vaccine.Pete Peters, a 77-year-oldlivingin Winkler,was offered the vaccine but chose not totake it.

"I have the papers at home. If I want to have it, [they'll] come over," he said.

Others, likeC.J.Friesen, are against vaccinations. She hasn't been vaccinated for anything before, but the speed in which COVID-19 vaccines were created and approved also make her apprehensive, she said.

Friesen has also lost trust in theinstitutions reporting COVID-19 data and doesn't understand how the pandemic's waves come and go.

"I trust in God. I trust he'll get us through this," she said.

There is no clear evidence that religion specifically is causing vaccine hesitancy, said Reimer but some Winkler and Mordenresidents believe it's true.

"With the government shutting down churches,a lot of people are viewing that negatively,"said Burt, who believes in the Christian God.

"It's more of a biblical thing around here.I don't think it has anything to do with science. It's just strictly that they feel tribulation is coming."

Some people are likening public health restrictionsto the Romans crucifying Jesus, he said.

"It's just crazy," Burt added.

Vaccination has made things more stressful for Winkler Mayor Martin Harder, as it is a divisive issue in the region.

"I wish churches wouldn't make this a religious issue," he said.

"We want to come out of this being a community that is together, rather than a divided communityand obviously we want to come out of this healthy."

Harder, who hadrelatives in Steinbach die from COVID-19, has no problem with developing a targeted campaign for churches, he said, noting the community and Manitoba officials worked on one for schools earlier in the year.

He does, however, want the stigma surroundingsouthern Manitoba when it comesto COVID-19 and people defying protocolsto end.

Manitoba officials will be reaching out to community leaders, including spiritual leaders, to get them to help build public trust in the vaccine and encourage residents to book an appointment for their dose when eligible, said Reimer Wednesday.

"If we could get some allies in the leadership group around townthat would go a long way to assuring people that it is safe and that it isn't just something that the government or the doctors are trying to talk you into," said Thompson, the surgeon.

Thecampaign can't revolve aroundcoaxing people to take the vaccine, as individuals' rights to put what they want in their bodies must be respected, she added.

WATCH | Low uptake reveals vaccine hesitancy in southern Manitoba communities:

Low uptake reveals vaccine hesitancy in southern Manitoba communities

3 years ago

Duration 2:58

Winkler, Morden and some other southern Manitoba communities are among the areas in the province with the lowest vaccine uptake percentages currently. Community members believe there are a range of reasons for this, including religious beliefs, and mistrust in vaccines generally or COVID-19 vaccines in particular.