Pop-up vaccine clinics in Winnipeg parks 'really convenient' for people wanting protection

Winnipeggers looking for a convenient way to get their COVID-19 jabs visited a mobile vaccine clinic at Assiniboine Park on Saturday afternoon.

About 53 doses were given that day, two-thirds of which were first doses, a provincial health spokesperson said.

Pop-up clinics are part of the government's ongoing initiative to make it easy for people to get immunized, the spokesperson added.

"It was really convenient…. We want to go to the park and we saw that it was here. We were planning to go, anyway," said Llamour Torres, who received her second vaccine dose.

"I thought it would be best to just get it done today."

Carlos Rincon also got his second dose in the park on Saturday.

"Just to keep protected is very important for our public and my own health as well, so we came to get our second dose," he said.

Rincon said he was happy to go to the mobile clinic because it's close to his home and he likes going to the park.

"I think it's very accessible for the people. It's easy and convenient, as it's very, very easy for people to come here, so I think it's good," he said.

As of Friday, the last time online data was updated, 83.3 per cent of eligible Manitobans have received one dose of the vaccine and 78.3 per cent have had two.

The province is also working with the City of Winnipeg to hold a second mobile vaccination clinic at Kildonan Park on Sunday.

Community clinics

The clinic will be located on the service road between the pool and Rainbow Stage between noon and 5 p.m.

Earlier this month, the province hosted pop-up vaccine clinics at The Forks and a couple of city malls.

Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of the vaccine implementation task force, said on Tuesday that 450 doses were given at the malls and about 60 were given at The Forks, more than half of which were first doses.

"There have also been many community-led clinics that are helping provide access to the vaccine throughout the province," said Reimer.

"Each and every dose provided at all of these clinics is so important to protecting all of us against COVID."