Immunizations

In Manitoba, all children should receive the vaccines below from a child’s primary care provider.  This could be a family physician or a pediatrician.

Public health visits schools to provide these vaccines to children.  If for some reason your child missed out, these vaccines are also available from their family physician or pediatrician.

Adults are not held as strongly to a vaccine schedule; however, there are many vaccines that have been shown to prevent virus and disease in adults.

Many are covered by Manitoba Health.  Some are not and patients wanting these vaccines will need to pay out of pocket. 

Tetanus Vaccine (Td)

• Who Pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health (No cost to the patient)
• Who Should have it: Should be taken every 10 years by adults
• Protects against: 
  • TETANUS (T) (Lockjaw) causes painful stiffening of the muscles. Tetanus can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.
  • DIPHTHERIA (D) can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death.

Tdap

• Who Pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health (No cost to the patient)
• Who Should have it: Adults who are due for a tetanus booster and have not previously received a pertussis-containing vaccine in adulthood and pregnant women in every pregnancy optimally between 27 and 32 weeks gestation.
• Protects against: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis
  • TETANUS (T) causes painful stiffening of the muscles. Tetanus can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.
  • DIPHTHERIA (D) can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death.
  • PERTUSSIS (aP), also known as “whooping cough,” can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing which makes it hard to breathe, eat, or drink. In teens and adults, it can cause weight loss, loss of bladder control, passing out, and rib fractures from severe coughing.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine(HPV)

• Who Pays for it: For eligibility please see the Manitoba Health Website at: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/vaccineeligibility.html
  • For those not eligible it can be purchased directly from your family physician.
• Who Should have it:
  • All those covered by Manitoba health
  • Individuals up to the age 45 for women and age 26. 
  • There are circumstances where this vaccine is beneficial outside these age ranges.  Speak to your health care provider to see if it is beneficial for you.
• Protects against: Human papillomavirus
  • Cervical cancer and other cancers of the genitals, head, neck and throat

Influenza Vaccine (Flu Shot)

• Who pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health (No cost to the patient)
• Who should have it: Everyone over 6 months of age every year.
• Protects against: Various common strains for the season flu.
  • Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.

In addition to all the vaccines in the previous catagories Adults over 50 should consider having:

Shingrix

• Who Pays for it: The patient.  This is not covered by Manitoba Health.
• Who Should have it: Healthy adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months
• Protects against: Shingles (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
  • Shingles(HZ): Painful rash anywhere on the body.  Nearly 1 in 3 Canadians develops HZ in their lifetime. Find more information on Shingles from the Manitoba Government
  • Also protects against Postherpetic neuralgia(PHN) A painful residual effect from Shingles. 
  • The incidence and severity of both HZ and PHN increases sharply after 50 years of age.
• Treatment options for HZ and PHN have limited effectiveness.

Influenza Vaccine (Flu Shot)

• Who pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health (No cost to the patient)
• Who should have it: Everyone over 6 months of age every year.
• Protects against: Various common strains for the season flu.
  • Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.

In addition to all the vaccines in the previous catagories Adults over 65 should consider having:

Pneumovax-23 (Pneu-P-23)

• Who Pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health for Manitobans over the age of 65
• Who Should have it: Everyone over the age of 65
• Protects against: Pneumonia, Septicemia and Meningitis
  • Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. 
  • Septicemia: Septicemia is a serious bloodstream infection. It’s also known as blood poisoning.
  • Meningitis: Meningitis is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord.

Prevnar-13 (Pneu-C-13)

• Who Pays for it: The patient.  Manitoba Health will cover it under certain circumstances for pre-existing conditions. Details found here.
• Who Should Have it: All Adults over 65
• Protects against: Pneumonia, Septicemia and Meningitis
  • Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. 
  • Septicemia: Septicemia is a serious bloodstream infection. It’s also known as blood poisoning.
  • Meningitis: Meningitis is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord.

Pneumovax-23 and Prevnar-13 protect against different bacteria that cause Pneumonia, Septicemia and Meningitis.

Influenza Vaccine (Flu Shot)

• Who pays for it: Insured by Manitoba Health (No cost to the patient)
• Who should have it: Everyone over 6 months of age every year.
• Protects against: Various common strains for the season flu.
  • Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.

Vaccines recommended for travel are based on the intended destination: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

The most common concerns abroad include but not limited to:

• Hepatitis
• Measles
• Malaria
• Polio
• Travelers Diarrhea

It is best to seek health advice before travelling from a medical practitioner with a certification in travel medicine.

Manitoba health does not cover visits relating to travel vaccines or advise.

Book a travel consultation using the form below.  Vaccines are available onsite.