Here is a summary of the COVID-19 news shared over the past week, collected by Moose Jaw Today.com staff:
Saskatchewan began its second dose vaccine plan on May 17, beginning a rollout plan expected to conclude in July.
As of May 24, any resident aged 80 or older or who received their first dose vaccine on or before March 1 is eligible to receive their second dose of vaccine.
Cancer patients, organ transplant recipients and individuals with high clinical priority are also included in the current eligibility group and will receive a letter from the health authority.
Second doses are available at any of the SHA’s vaccine clinics, including booked appointments, walk-in and drive-through sites, and at participating pharmacies.
At this time, public health is planning to offer second dose shots to match the brand of the first dose received, meaning residents will need to know the brand of their first vaccine when booking appointments or attending clinics.
The rollout will follow the same age sequencing pattern as the first dose campaign, with residents becoming eligible on a weekly rotation based on their age or date of first vaccination.
The final change in eligibility for second doses is tentatively scheduled for July 26, for residents who received their first dose on or before June 28.
Care home residents will be able to welcome more visitors beginning on May 30, as visitation limits will expand as part of the first step of the province’s reopening plan.
All residents in long-term care or personal care homes will be able to welcome an unlimited number of visitors, two at a time for indoor visits and four at a time for outdoor visits.
Other public health guidelines will still be in place for visitors, including mandatory masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene and temperature screening.
Restrictions will lift further as the next two steps of the re-opening plan commence, said officials, with the final step expected to begin in mid-July.
Outdoor sports have been added to the first step of the province’s reopening plan, which begins on May 30.
At this time, league play for all outdoor sports will be allowed to resume but no tournaments or interprovincial travel will be possible. Teams are to avoid equipment sharing and regularly disinfect items shared during the game.
Group fitness classes may also resume, with physical distancing in place.
Restrictions will also be lifted on indoor and outdoor capacities, with gatherings of 10 people allowed to gather in a private household, 30 people at a public indoor gathering, and 150 people at public outdoor gatherings.
Restaurants and bars may now re-open for dine-in service, with a maximum of six people at a table. Places of worship can now welcome 30 per cent of their capacity or 150 people at services, whichever is less.
Step Two of the plan has also been announced and will commence on June 20.
Prince Arthur Community School declared an outbreak of COVID-19 on May 27, although no details are currently available about the number of cases reported in the elementary school.
This is the eighth outbreak currently active in Moose Jaw, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the second outbreak listed in a school. It is also the first outbreak to be declared since May 15.
Contact tracers will be in contact with anyone who may have been exposed in relation to the new outbreak.
