Manitoba Metis Federation plans to give COVID-19 vaccines to 100 members by Saturday

The Manitoba Metis Federation plans on giving 100 of its members their first dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine by Saturday.

MedoCare Pharmacy, an MMF-owned pharmacy, had applied on March 17 to be one of the pharmacies across the province that could administer doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.

Then, without warning, the MMF — the democratic and self-governing political representative for Métis people in Manitoba — received an unexpected shipment of 100 doses of that vaccine from the Manitoba government on April 6, said president David Chartrand.

"It caught us off guard. We didn't expect it. There was no call or update, so we had to scramble to find people to actually put the vaccines in the arms of our citizens," said Chartrand while on CBC Radio's Up To Speed on Monday.

In Manitoba, doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine are supposed to be shipped to approved doctors' offices and pharmacies. All Manitobans 65 years or older can receive the vaccine, but people aged 55 to 64 with certain underlying health conditions are eligible as well.

People in the latter demographic are split into one of two priority groups, differentiated based on their underlying health conditions.

Elders and vulnerable citizens within the MMF were prioritized to be vaccinated first. But within that demographic, MMF members living in Winnipeg and who are part of the prescription drug program were given further priority, a news release issued by the MMF said.

A list of people wanting to receive available doses was later created and people on the list will be contacted to schedule an appointment, the release adds.

Vaccine doses will be administered at MedoCare Pharmacy, located in the MMF building in Winnipeg. The entire facility will be sanitized in between immunizations, the release says.

Transportation arrangements can be made for anyone who needs a ride to their scheduled appointment, it says. Anyone who can drive to their appointment will be advised where to park, and they must wait in their vehicle until the scheduled appointment time.

Staff at the facility will conduct wellness checks after people receive their vaccine dose, it adds.

There are over 100,000 Métis people in Manitoba, "so 100 vaccines are really a decimal point [of that population]," said Chartrand.

"One life is worth more than you can ever imagine, so we're very happy about 100 [doses]. But we have a long, long way to go."

Assuming all goes as planned, the first 100 MMF members should receive their dose by April 17, the release says.

Arthur Branconnier was the first Métis person to receive the vaccine at MedoCare Pharmacy. It took about five to 10 minutes to get in and out, and he didn't feel anything when the needle went it, he said.

"It was just wonderful," said Branconnier, who urges other Manitobans to get the vaccine as well.

The MMF is drafting a list of people who could receive the vaccine, should a similar situation come up in the future. It's also scoping out potential vaccination sites, starting with MMF-owned properties, the release says.

Long Plains First Nation Chief Dennis Meeches has also contacted the MMF about 100 doses that they have available, so the MMF is organizing to have 100 of its members travel to the reserve to be vaccinated as well, said Chartrand.