Case in point, the ongoing vaccination program in the province having moved into Prince Albert as of Thursday morning.
Immunizations for health care staff as well as long-term and personal care home residents in the northern city are currently underway, with testing and assessment physician Dr. Romashnee Moodlia and Herb Bassett Home long term care residents Muriel Sheldon and Dennis McCallum among the first to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
All told, Prince Albert has received 3,900 doses, all of which will be used as the first part of the two-dose vaccination regime.
A total of 4,832 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province as of Jan. 7 -- including 2,069 doses in the Regina pilot program to test reactions to the vaccine, as well as 233 second doses to offer complete immunity to the virus. Saskatoon has received 2,407 Pfizer doses, which have to be kept at temperatures around -70 C, requiring heavy refrigeration and equipment not found in many communities in Saskatchewan.
Conversely, the Moderna vaccine can be handled at far higher temperatures and has seen 123 doses given in Far North West region, where hospital and clinics will have an easier time keeping them viable.
The vaccine rollout will continue in coming weeks, with 6,825 doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to be delivered each week of Jan. 11, 18 and 25. The Jan. 11 allotment will go to Saskatoon and area, Jan. 18 in Regina and area and Jan. 25 in North Battleford and area.
As an example of the conditions needed to protect the Pfizer vaccine, the University of Regina Ultra Low Temperature freezer will be transported to North Battleford and that location will be used as the staging point for vaccinations in the North West zone at the end of January.
As for the Moderna vaccine, of the 4,900 doses received on Dec. 28, at total of 710 have been allocated to the Far North Central zone, 1,370 to Far North West, 1,450 to Far North East and 1,370 to North East.
An additional 5,300 Moderna doses are expected in the province on Jan. 11, and locations are being determined for delivery to smaller cities serving as regional hubs.
Given the relatively low number of cases in the South Central zone -- including Moose Jaw and area -- since the start of the pandemic, no official word has been given on when the city will receive a major roll-out.
All told, it’s expected February will see 11,700 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrive a week, with Moderna vaccine doses also ramping up quickly at the same time.
For the latest information the COVID-19 vaccine in Saskatchewan, be sure to visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-vaccine.
