City workers continue to help run COVID-19 vaccine clinic at RBC Convention Centre

City of Winnipeg employees are continuing to help operate the provincialCOVID-19 vaccination clinic at RBC Convention Centre, which has suffered from delays and staffing problems over the past week.

The province has asked the city to staff 40 shifts each evening at the centreuntil April 6, acting chief administrative officer Mike Ruta informed the mayor and city council via email Tuesday.

The province had already asked the city for 75 workers over the weekend. The city workers are acting as navigators who help vaccine recipients find their way around the convention centre.

The work is being divided among a number of city unions. Everyone who works at the clinic becomes eligible to receive the vaccine.

City employees will receive their regular wage for the work they do at the clinic, the province said.

The province plans to open other large vaccination clinics in Winnipeg and elsewhere in Manitoba. They will be needed sooner than expected:On Tuesday, federal officials announced some shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive in Canada months ahead of schedule.

On Tuesday, workers were observed moving flooring into the Seven Oaks Soccer Plexin Garden City, which is expected to house one of the forthcoming clinics.

The provincial vaccination team is expected to hold another briefing Wednesday.