Here is a summary of the COVID-19 news shared over the past week, collected by Moose Jaw Today.com staff:
As of June 2, any resident aged 65 or older or who received their first dose vaccine on or before March 22 is now eligible to receive their second vaccine dose.
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.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority said that it will be following the guidance of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) regarding mixing vaccine brands for second doses.
Individuals who received AstraZeneca as their first dose may be offered either a matching dose or a mRna vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna as their second dose.
Those who received an mRna vaccine as a first dose will be offered the same mRna vaccine as their second dose. If that vaccine is not readily available, another mRna vaccine will be offered.
The provincial government also announced an additional threshold in the reopening plan that includes removal of capacity limitations and mandatory masking entirely, which could be set for July 11.
The threshold for this new step requires 70 per cent of people aged 12 and over to have received their first dose of vaccine, and at least three weeks must have passed since the beginning of Step Two.
Step Three’s requirements still remain in place, seeking 70 per cent of people aged 18 and older to have received their first dose at least three weeks prior. At this stage, remaining restrictions on retail, restaurants, and sports and fitness will be lifted, but masking and gathering capacities will remain.
Currently, 66 per cent of those over age 18 and 62 per cent of people over age 12 have received their first dose of vaccine. The province is confident that the necessary thresholds will be reached on schedule.
No new COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared by public health this week, but several Moose Jaw schools have reported new positive cases.
A.E. Peacock Collegiate reported three new cases on May 29. Vanier Collegiate and Westmount Elementary both reported positive cases on May 30.
Vanier reported one new case for a total of three cases currently in the school, and Westmount reported two cases.
St. Margaret Elementary School also reported one new case on June 1.
Moose Jaw currently has seven active outbreaks listed by public health, with Prince Arthur Community School the most recently declared on May 27.
