Under the watchful eyes of Canada’s Border Services Agency officers the first shipment of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was unloaded from a UPS aircraft early this morning in Winnipeg.

“This is a long-awaited day of hope for Manitoba, as for more than nine months, this unprecedented pandemic has taken a toll on all of us as individuals, on our communities and our health-care system,” said Premier Brian Pallister.

Now that the vaccine is here the province will begin immunizing eligible health-care workers on Wednesday. Nearly 900 appointments have been booked for the first round of vaccinations. Each appointment is expected to take 45 minutes and the 900 inoculations are expected to be complete by Friday.

Individuals are expected to receive their second dose of the vaccine in two weeks at a new ‘super site’ being established at the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre. According to the premier, an ultra low-temperature freezer was installed at the site on Monday.

The convention Centre will also be used for vaccine storage, administration and logistics said the premier.

Pallister noted that the province has committed to establish fixed vaccination sites in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson, Steinbach, Gimli, Portage la Prairie and The Pas in the new year as more vaccine becomes available in the new year.

A second delivery of the Pfizer vaccine is expected next week.

© News4.ca 2020