Giesbrecht is sharing her story, hoping to persuade members of her faith community who are hesitant about vaccines to reconsider-this may be a challenge because some areas of southern Manitoba are home to many Mennonites. The province’s vaccination rate is the lowest in the province.

Since Giesbrecht fell ill in mid-May, for the first few days, she considered waiting at home alone. She initially did not believe that she was infected with COVID-19, partly because she said she followed masks and public health guidelines.

Then, her condition worsened. She was tested in the community of Altona in her hometown and tested positive a few days later.

Giesbrecht, 33, was hospitalized at the Boundary Trails Health Center between Winkler and Morden, more than 100 kilometers southwest of Winnipeg.

She had pneumonia and could barely breathe.

“I was terrified and panicked,” Giesbrecht said. “Prayers have always been very strong, and it helped me get through the days in hospital due to COVID.”

Gisbrecht took oxygen alone for four days before being discharged from the hospital.

During the third wave of the outbreak in Manitoba, the number of intensive care patients in Boundary Trails surged to the point that the hospital’s oxygen generator was close to its capacity.

Last weekend, about 40% of the transfers from rural health centers to large hospitals in Winnipeg and Brandon came from Border Trails, said Dr. Ganesan Abu, the intensive care unit doctor and anesthesiologist there.

Local experts zoom in on information

Abbu recently told CBC News that almost all COVID-19 patients admitted to Boundary Trails were not vaccinated. He said these patients usually say they think the pandemic is a hoax and support other myths about vaccines. Some people still believe in unwaveringly even at the door of death.

Boundary Trails happened to be surrounded by Mennonite communities. Provincial officials said that because of mistrust of the government, misinformation and other factors, these communities had a high rate of vaccine hesitation.

The Stanley Health District, which surrounds Winkler and Morden districts, has the lowest incidence. As of Tuesday, approximately 13% of adults had been vaccinated. According to provincial data.

Winkler’s is about 25%. The prevalence rate in the neighbouring Altona health district where Giesbrecht lives is 37%.

Morden’s rate is better, slightly higher than 51%, but still lags behind the provincial rate: 62% of Manitoba people over 12 and nearly 66% of people 18 and over received at least one injection.

Provincial officials stated that the key to stimulating vaccination in these areas is to amplify the voices of trusted local political, religious and health leaders.

Abramovich has lived and worked in Winkler for more than two decades, and he said he understands the need to bridge the cultural and religious gap.

During the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, he said that he helped his school-age children in a project, and they are now all doctors. They distributed health and vaccine information pamphlets to local churches. These pamphlets were written in Low German, a dialect spoken by many Protestants in Southern Manitoba.

He said: “We are trying to contact that part of the community in a way that we try to build trust.”

“Vaccines and antibiotics are two things that make humans live longer… I think these are positive messages that we need to use.”

‘COVID is real’

Dr. Don Klassen has a similar view.

Klassen recently recorded a video with Winkler Mayor Martin Harder to help those who are on the sidelines of the vaccine.

“If people believe that their doctors will take care of serious diseases, let them anaesthetize them, perform operations on them, and take care of their heart attacks, I would say that we are also trustworthy in this field,” he said. .

The 72-year-old family doctor and anesthesiologist was born in Winkler and has practiced medicine there for more than 40 years. He is also a Mennonite and a churchgoer.

“In my opinion, there is no conflict between vaccination and being a faithful person,” he said. “The COVID is real…Of all the tools we have, vaccination is a tool that may enable us to return to a more normal life.”

Giesbrecht has now booked a vaccination appointment later this month, and she continues to share her experience with others in her life. She said that some people have changed their minds.

“Trust the doctor,” she said. “God gave us doctors for a reason, and medicines that we can use to help us feel better.”