Get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19, measles to protect crowded hospitals: top doc By: Carol Sanders Posted: 12:33 PM CST Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 Last Modified: 11:25 AM CST Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 Updates

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The province’s top doctor is asking Manitobans to get vaccinated as respiratory virus season threatens to strain hospitals and measles outbreaks tear through parts of Manitoba.

“We have to be aware the risk is quite high,” chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said Thursday morning at the legislature.

An estimated 3,000 Manitobans have shown up at hospital emergency and urgent care departments with respiratory illness so far this season, he said.

“This is even more than what we’ve seen in similar times during the (COVID-19) pandemic,” said Roussin.

This time, co-ordinated planning across Manitoba’s health system has helped to manage the pressures, he said.

“Public health, Shared Health, regional health authorities and front-line teams work together throughout a provincewide approach. Real-time monitoring, daily co-ordination and activation of surge plans as needed are really responding to this increased demand,” the doctor said.

Roussin said those efforts, along with increased investments in staffing and capacity, help to maintain safe care while the system faces increased demands.

“Vaccine remains one of the most effective tools we have.”

He urged Manitobans to get vaccinated, saying it’s not too late.

“Vaccine remains one of the most effective tools we have to prevent severe illness, reduce hospitalizations and ICU demand. Staying up to date with influenza and COVID-19 vaccines lowers your risk of serious complications and help protect those around you. This is significantly more important for those at increased risk — young children, older adults, those with underlying medical conditions,” Roussin said.

The same goes for measles, a highly contagious disease that’s been spreading in Manitoba for more than a year and infected attendees at Ag Days in Brandon last month. He said more than 30 cases “and counting” can be linked to the event known as “Canada’s largest indoor farm show.”

“Because of that large exposure, we’re seeing increased transmission of measles within Prairie Mountain Health region,” he said.

Vaccine eligibility has been expanded in the region as well as Southern Health so children from six months to under one year are now eligible for a dose.

“Anyone who lives in those regions or frequently travels to or frequently in contact with people from those regions would be eligible for that vaccine expansion.”

Health-care providers there were advised Wednesday to ensure that measles vaccination is up to date for those children, especially in the rural municipalities of Stanley, Rhineland, Thompson, Dufferin, Roland, “where we see persistent high levels of transmission of measles within those communities,” Roussin said.

“We know that 100 per cent of those cases were entirely preventable.”

“Take as much precaution as possible and those children under a year but over six months — we really want to encourage them to get that early dose of vaccine to protect them from that ongoing transmission.”

The measles outbreak over the last year has resulted in 22 admissions to Children’s Hospital, two of whom required intensive care, he said.

“What’s really concerning about those is we know that 100 per cent of those cases were entirely preventable.”

Roussin said the province is also updating how it’s announcing exposure locations so people have time to get vaccinated within the six-day exposure window. The measles vaccine can be administered up to six days after exposure to prevent or modify the severity of the disease. He said detailed lists would be posted on the province’s website so the information would remain current and accessible.

“Anyone who believes they’ve been exposed should check their immunization records and ensure they’re up to date with measles vaccine. Individuals who develop symptoms should stay home, avoid public spaces, (and) call ahead before seeking medical care to ensure appropriate precautions are taken to have you assessed,” Roussin said.

He noted isolation procedures even put a strain on the system.

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“When people even present for testing, then certain areas of that building can’t be used for a little bit of time.”

Vaccination works, and the proof is in the low number of measles cases seen where immunization rates are high, the doctor said.

“We really have strong tools against the spread of measles and that’s vaccination. In parts of the province where we have a very good vaccine uptake, we’re not seeing active transmission of that virus.”

For general questions or advice, contact Health Links, he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.

Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.