Winnipeg, MB - November 8, 2021 - Pharmacists Manitoba is calling on the Honourable Audrey Gordon, Minister of Health and Seniors Care to request and sign-off on an Order in Council which will allow Manitoba pharmacists to vaccinate individuals ages five (5) and up. The Pharmaceutical Regulation (185/2013) states in Part 14, Section 110.1, that “[a] member may administer a vaccine that is prescribed by an authorized practitioner to a person who is at least seven years of age…”

“This call is in line with the imminent modifications we anticipate which will allow for children ages five (5) and up to receive their COVID-19 vaccines,” says Ashley Hart, President of Pharmacists Manitoba. Hart adds, “Pharmacists in Manitoba anticipate mass confusion and frustration among Manitobans if the age discrepancy between the age of children who are eligible for the vaccine, and the age at which a pharmacist can vaccinate is not addressed.”

Pharmacists Manitoba has requested an Order in Council from Minister Gordon due to the timeliness of the issue, however a regulation change is preferred. The organization is encouraging its membership and the general public to contact their provincial representatives to advocate for this change. “We want to ensure that Manitoba families are able to visit their local pharmacists – their most accessible healthcare professionals – to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” says Hart.