The province’s minister of health plans to meet with Indigenous leaders early this week to discuss plans to roll out COVID-19 vaccines in Indigenous communities.

Dr. John Haggie says the province’s vaccination team has something in mind to help deliver the Pfizer vaccine to isolated and rural communities, such as in Nunatsiavut, but the plan is still in development.

Haggie also notes that they are working with indigenous bands to identify members in urban centres to ensure they have proper access.

The health minister says there are inherent challenges to delivering the Pfizer vaccine to rural communities, because of its short shelf-life once out of the freezer.

However, he says the approval of other vaccines could help solve that problem.

He says the Moderna vaccine would be a “huge asset” as it is much easier to ship, which would benefit areas such as coastal Labrador.