Doctors sign in to webinar to talk about vaccines

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This article was published 07/01/2021 (1352 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Seeking more details on COVID-19 vaccines and how they’re being rolled out in Manitoba, 400 doctors joined in a question-and-answer session with the leaders of the provincial vaccine task force Wednesday night.

Medical officers of health Dr. Tim Hilderman and Dr. Joss Reimer, who are leading Manitoba’s vaccine distribution, participated in the webinar organized by Doctors Manitoba to help explain details of the plan to physicians. It took place after Reimer publicly announced the next steps in the province’s rollout plan during a news conference Wednesday.

Doctors had more in-depth questions about vaccine approval and effectiveness, and expressed more uncertainty and frustration about the province’s phone-booking system through which eligible front-line health-care workers must make appointments to be vaccinated. The province has indicated it plans to hire more call-centre employees to staff the phone line and launch an online booking system.

“There’s certainly continued frustration with the scheduling system. People are still having trouble getting through, there’s questions about ‘Do I fit this eligibility criteria or not,’” said Doctors Manitoba spokesman Keir Johnson.

Physicians want to make sure the right expertise is being considered in the province’s vaccine rollout, which both Reimer and Premier Brian Pallister have said is currently limited only by lack of vaccine supply and will be able to ramp up quickly once Manitoba gets enough doses.

The province hasn’t released the full membership of its vaccine task force.

“There’s certainly lots of questions that are still unanswered, and some of them are more clinical in nature, some of them are operational. I think physicians would still like to see the broader membership of the vaccine implementation task force,” Johnson said.

It was the first webinar that focused on vaccines, with more in the future to ensure doctors in the province stay informed. They’ve previously held town hall-style teleconferences with Manitoba chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, to stay up to date on the province’s pandemic response.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay