Michelle Porter
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Michelle Porter
@um-coa-porter.bsky.social
76 followers 84 following 490 posts
Director, Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba
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Vaccination rates are slowly increasing - still under 40% for both COVID-19 and Influenza in the 65+ age group.
Vaccine coverage rates for this season are at 30.7% for COVID-19 and 36.8% for Influenza in the 65+ age group.
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
Severe outcomes for Influenza are increasing but still there are higher numbers for COVID-19, for the week of Oct 26 to Nov 1, 2025, in MB.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severe outcomes are shown for COVID-19 and Influenza. For example, there were 2 fatalities associated with COVID-19 but none for Influenza in the currently reported week.
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
Still more severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 than Influenza but they are increasing for Influenza, in the latest report (week of Oct 19 to 25) for Manitoba. Vaccination rates for 65+ are up to 26.8% for COVID-19 and 32.4% for Influenza.
Severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 and Influenza are shown for the current week and the current season.
November 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
For week 42 (Oct 12 to 18, 2025) there were many severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 in Manitoba, but none for Influenza. Vaccination rates both COVID-19 and Influenza continue to be low even for those 65+ (<20%).

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Table of severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 and Influenza showing that there were 26 hospital admits, 3 ICU Admits and 3 fatalities associated with COVID-19, but no severe outcomes associated with Influenza.
October 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
While there were a couple of Influenza cases reported last week (Oct 5 to 11) in MB, all serious outcomes were associated with COVID-19 (22 hospital admits, 5 ICU admits, and 4 fatalities). Interestingly, more people are vaccinated against Influenza than COVID-19.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Vaccination rates for COVID-19 and Influenza are shown for the current season in terms of % coverage and how many have been administered.
October 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
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CONCENTRIC VALUE OF VACCINATION:
Intersecting Health, Economic, and Societal Benefits

@geronsociety.bsky.social

Read the new report: gsaenrich.geron.org/value-of-vac...
Health benefits: • Primary prevention of infectious disease • Increased life expectancy • Avoidance of long-term complications • Decreased risk of hospitalization • Prevention of antimicrobial resistance • Preservation of functional independence Economic benefits Health care costs savings for individuals, families, and societies • Preserve workplace productivity • Fulfill caregiving responsibilities SOCIETAL BENEFITS Health equity • Herd immunity and eradication of infectious disease • Protection of ‘vaccinated yet vulnerable’ and for those who cannot receive vaccines • Prevention of antimicrobial resistance
October 8, 2025 at 5:14 PM
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Big differences in test positivity and severe outcomes between COVID-19 and Influenza, with no severe outcomes associated with Influenza in Manitoba last week (Sep 21 to 27, 2025). In contrast there were 35 hospitalizations and 2 fatalities associated with COVID-19.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Figure shows that there were many severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 for last week and this season, compared to Influenza which had none.
October 3, 2025 at 8:19 PM
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It was exciting being at the launch of the ESSENCE project, with Dr. Tracey Peter, Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs), Deans and Professors Emeriti/Seniors Scholars. To learn more about the research and project link here www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... and here umanitoba.ca/retirees/pro....
Picture of a speaker (Dr. Tracey Peter) with a slide which says "Emeriti & Senior Scholars Engaged in Navigating Continued Excellence (ESSENCE) Project.
September 29, 2025 at 5:41 PM
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umanitoba.ca/about-um/um-...
University of Manitoba Administration Building lit up in orange.
September 25, 2025 at 1:07 PM
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Unfortunately, severe outcomes associated with COVID-19 in Manitoba are increasing (week of Aug 31 - Sep 06, 2025), which includes 4 fatalities.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severe outcomes are shown for COVID-19 and Influenza. Only 1 hospital admit associated with Influenza, but several hospital (and also ICU) admits, and 4 fatalities.
September 12, 2025 at 7:24 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
Provincial Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report for Manitoba for the week of Aug 24, 2025 - Aug 30, 2025, shows that severe outcomes are occurring again for COVID-19. No severe outcomes associated with Influenza.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severe outcomes are shown for COVID-19 (e.g., 2 fatalities for the current week). No severe outcomes associated with Influenza.
September 5, 2025 at 11:39 PM
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MB Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report for the week of July 6 to 12, 2025.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severe outcomes (hospital admits, ICU admits and fatalities) associated with COVID-19 and Influenza, for the current week and season.
July 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
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Manitoba Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report for the week of June 29 to July 5, 2025, shows almost no severe outcomes for COVID-19 or Influenza.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
There were only 2 associated hospital admits for COVID-19 and 1 for Influenza. There were no ICU admits or fatalities.
July 11, 2025 at 7:20 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
Manitoba Respiratory Surveillance Report for the week of June 22 to June 28, 2025. Very few cases are being reported for either, and thankfully, severe outcomes are almost non-existent.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severity outcomes are shown for those associated with COVID-19 and Influenza. In the current week, there were only 2 associated hospital admits for COVID-19 and nothing for ICU or Associated fatalities for COVID-19, and no severe outcomes for Influenza.
July 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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Happy Canada Day!
July 1, 2025 at 9:56 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
While COVID-19 and Influenza have certainly taken a toll this respiratory season, finally there are no deaths associated with either for the week ending June 7, 2025. And in the case of Influenza there were no severe outcomes at all.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
A figure showing the severe outcomes for COVID-19 and Influenza. For the last week, only 5 associated hospitalizations were reported for COVID-19. There were no severe outcomes at all reported for Influenza.
June 13, 2025 at 8:41 PM
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Very few severe outcomes for COVID-19 or Influenza in Manitoba for the week of May 25 to 31, 2025.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Severe outcomes for COVID-19 and Influenza, show only 9 associated hospitalizations for both conditions, and 2 associated fatalities for COVID-19.
June 6, 2025 at 7:10 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
Finally, no fatalities were reported in the Respiratory Surveillance Report for Manitoba, for the week of May 04 - May 10, 2025 (associated with Influenza and COVID-19). Unfortunately, there were 471 fatalities for the current season, associated with both viruses.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Data for hospital admits, ICU admits and fatalities for the current week and the current season.
May 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
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While there were two deaths last week in Manitoba associated with COVID-19 and Influenza, there were no ICU admits, and other indicators were also down.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Figure showing the numbers of Associated Hospital Admits, ICU Admits and Fatalities for COVID-19 and Influenza.
May 10, 2025 at 12:36 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
While there are severe outcomes occurring for COVID-19 still in Manitoba (for the week of Apr 20, 2025 - Apr 26, 2025). The rates are much lower than they were last fall.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
The bar graphs shows the counts for Associated Hospitalizations, ICU Admissions and Deaths for COVID-19. The counts are currently much lower than they were at the peak, although all severe outcomes occurred in the past week.
May 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
um-coa-porter.bsky.social
The Manitoba Respiratory Surveillance Report shows that severity continues to decline for Influenza, along with test positivity (for the week of Apr 20, 2025 - Apr 26, 2025).

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
The bar graphs shows the counts for Associated Hospitalizations, ICU Admissions and Deaths for Influenza. The counts are currently much lower than they were at the peak, although all severe outcomes occurred in the past week.
May 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
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Figure showing that COVID-19 levels are Moderate in Manitoba based on the last samples (April 13, 2025) in Winnipeg showing Low and Moderate levels.
April 27, 2025 at 4:59 PM
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National wastewater levels for respiratory viruses, with Manitoba highlighted.

health-infobase.canada.ca/wastewater/
Figure showing that Influenza A levels are Moderate in Manitoba based on the last samples (April 13, 2025) in Winnipeg.
April 27, 2025 at 4:59 PM
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While there are still many Respiratory-related visits to the Emergency Department in Manitoba (1,400 for the week of April 13 to 19, 2025), severe outcomes are still occurring but at lower rates than just a few weeks ago.

www.gov.mb.ca/health/publi...
Numbers for Associated Hospital Admits, ICU Admits and Fatalities (n=5) are shown for COVID-19 and Influenza.
April 25, 2025 at 7:43 PM
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Here is the Manitoba data for the week of April 6 to 12, 2025.
Highlighted serious outcomes show that there were associated hospital and ICU admits, as well as fatalities for both COVID-19 and Influenza, with both being higher for Influenza.
April 19, 2025 at 12:18 PM