The provincial government announced today that the current public health measures in place will once again be extended until March 19, to continue reducing COVID-19 transmission across the province.
The announcement precedes the upcoming re-evaluation date of Feb. 19, set by the last extension announcement earlier in January.
Public health measures that are staying include the province-wide mandatory masking order for public spaces, restrictions for both indoor and outdoor gatherings, household contact restrictions, and capacity limits on retail businesses.
Public health also noted that enforcement of public health orders will continue, with inspectors working to ticket violators quickly. Last week, public health inspected 18 business locations in Regina and Saskatoon and issued one $14,000 violation to Specklebelly’s Brew Pub in Saskatoon.
The vaccine delivery plan also received an update, adding an estimated 11,500 more health care workers into the priority sequence previously laid out for Phase One of the plan.
This includes individuals directly involved in delivering COVID-19 immunizations, including up to 2,600 physicians, 1,200 pharmacists and a number of other SHA health care providers.
It also includes health care workers present in anesthesia and operating rooms, hemodialysis units, radiology technicians, ECG and echo technicians, staff in critical care areas, vaccination teams, phlebotomy and lab workers handling COVID-19 specimens and home care or direct care providers.
Phase One also includes health care workers in emergency departments, intensive care units, COVID-19 wards, and testing and assessment staff, in addition to long-term care staff and residents, residents aged 70 years and older, and residents aged 50 years and older living in northern communities.
Phase Two of the vaccination plan is still expected to commence as previously announced, beginning later in the spring and focusing on the general population in 10-year increments.
For more information on COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, visit saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.
