Truckers to get vaccine stateside

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/04/2021 (1694 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba truck drivers crossing the border between Manitoba and North Dakota on Interstate 29 will now have access to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in North Dakota starting today.

In an unprecedented and historic move, Manitoba and North Dakota struck an agreement on Tuesday that will see the U.S. donate COVID-19 vaccines to Manitoba truckers.

It is the first time such an agreement has been made and could eventually expand to other essential workers.

“The U.S. has got a lot of vaccines and Canada’s got less,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Tuesday via video link at a news conference in Winnipeg.

“We want to do our part to help those essential workers from Canada who are frequently travelling through our state.”

The Manitoba Trucking Association is working with the province to facilitate a smoother flow of eligible truck drivers, said Terry Shaw, executive assistant for the organization.

“With the assistance of the Manitoba Trucking Association and its members, Manitoba will identify and co-ordinate with eligible individuals and work with North Dakota to schedule vaccination appointments for truck drivers during their routine trips to the U.S. over the next six to eight weeks. It is estimated roughly 2,000 to 4,000 Manitoba drivers will take part in this program.”

The vaccines will be available by appointment. Truckers seeking information about vaccine times are encouraged to visit Manitoba Trucking Association’s website, trucking.mb.ca Shaw said.

The first vaccination site is at the Alexander Henry Rest Area near Drayton, N.D.

North Dakota’s Department of Health will provide staff to administer the first and second doses of vaccine, while the state will provide proof of immunization and share immunization records with Manitoba.

The timing of the agreement comes as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the province.

“The reality of COVID in Canada today is such that the variants of concern are here, the third wave is here, but the vaccines are not here yet,” Pallister said.

The initial vaccination site is located northbound at the Alexander Henry Rest Area. The initiative could see other vaccination locations come on stream as required, the release said, with those sites having sufficient space for truck parking, drive-thru inoculation and 15-minute observation periods.

“Today is a small victory over some of the challenges that we face in dealing with the largest health and economic pandemic in our time, and today is an important victory also for healthcare co-operation,” Pallister said.

There is no cost involved for either Manitoba truck drivers or North Dakota, with the United States federal government picking up the tab.

The vaccination site will be operating from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

With the two governments working closely together, the aim is to work jointly to manage the newly created Essential Worker Cross-Border Vaccination Initiative and examine future options to vaccinate other essential workers.

While it was a cause to celebrate the agreement between the two neighbours, Tuesday’s announcement was overshadowed by the highest daily COVID-19 case count since winter, with 203 new COVID-19 cases.

North Dakota has already administered 560,000 doses to its population of 760,000, Burgum said.

As of Tuesday, the province has administered 341,926 doses of vaccine, according to the province’s vaccination website.

To view the Essential Worker Cross-Border Vaccination Initiative, see bit.ly/2QBW7oZ

» kkielley@brandonsun.com