BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota will start vaccinating Manitoba truck drivers.
Under an agreement between the state and the province, the program is expected to inoculate 4,000 drivers by using a rest area near Drayton as a vaccination site on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The program starts tomorrow.
Truck drivers are classified as essential workers, but Premiere Brian Pallister said drivers have been subject to difficult conditions and have been logistically unable to receive the vaccine.
The hope is to get these drivers vaccinated in order to re-establish international trade and transmission of goods.
“In the weeks ahead of us, I think we’re going to see excess supply building on the U.S. side. And so this is the time to move to start working closely with our neighbors,” said Gov. Doug Burgum, R-N.D.
The pilot program will be using Moderna and Pfizer while the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is halted.
North Dakota has a history of providing COVID supplies, including giving testing supplies to neighboring states in the early days of the pandemic.
Burgum said the program could expand with Manitoba. He added Saskatchewan has also expressed interest in a deal like this.
FEMA will be reimbursing the state for any costs associated with the program.
