Brandon City Council has announced that every elected official has voluntarily confirmed their status as being fully vaccinated, with each member of Council having received the recommended two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine – this according to an emailed news release.
Mayor Rick Chrest said “I commend the leadership being shown by City Council in their willingness to not only be fully immunized, but also for making it publicly known. Council wanted to show support and solidarity to our staff who also have been stepping up to become vaccinated.”
City Council also wants to help set the tone for our community at large. As of Thursday, October 7th, 2021, the Government of Manitoba COVID-19 vaccine website reported that Brandon’s vaccine uptake was 84.4%. “We’re very proud that nearly 85% of those eligible in our community have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 80% are fully vaccinated,” noted Chrest. “It is important to stand with our community in this fight against this virus. We encourage those who are not yet vaccinated to seek professional medical advice, and if advisable, to initiate their vaccination process as soon as possible.”
City Council also commends the efforts of individuals, organizations, and businesses over the past 19 months as we have navigated all the implications of this global pandemic. While Brandon and the Prairie Mountain Health Region have done well through these unprecedented times, we must all be reminded that the pandemic is not over, and the risks associated with the more contagious variants are still significant.
“Currently, vaccinations are the best proven tool in protecting yourself and those around you,” Mayor Chrest added. “If you follow the daily statistics, we can see the positive impacts of the vaccines. There are very few individuals who are fully vaccinated that are among the admissions to ICU. This shows us that the vaccines are preventing serious illness and helping to ensure that there is ICU capacity in place for other serious medical needs.”
More information about the COVID-19 response in Manitoba can be found at https://www.manitoba.ca/covid19/ Information on the COVID-19 vaccine can be found at https://www.manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/ or by contacting your family doctor or local pharmacist.
As it has since the outset of its response to this global pandemic, the City of Brandon adheres to a high level of COVID-19 prevention protocols in its workplaces and public spaces, including, but not limited to: mandatory handwashing/sanitizing upon entrance to all civic facilities, the installation of plexiglass barriers at all public service counters, the establishment of safe physical distancing protocols in its facilities, mandatory face coverings, and extra cleaning of commonly-touched surfaces.
More information on the City of Brandon’s COVID-19 response can be found at https://brandon.ca/covid-19-updates
