Public health is now saying that the general public will begin receiving their second doses of COVID-19 vaccines as early as mid-May, overlapping the tail-end of the campaign to deliver first doses to residents.
Second dose eligibility will follow the same age-based priority sequencing that the province has already been using, with additional priority groups included according to risk.
The campaign will be offering second doses to residents within 13 weeks of their first dose, said Health Minister Paul Merriman during a press conference, to remain within the recommended 16-week window between doses.
Beginning on May 17, anyone aged 85 or older or who received their first dose before February 15 will be able to book an appointment to receive their second dose from a vaccine clinic in the province.
At this time, priority appointments will also be given to patients who have been diagnosed or are being treated for cancer, those who have received solid organ transplants, and they will receive a letter of confirmation in the mail from their physicians.
Second dose appointments will be provided through any of the vaccine clinics operating in the province, including booked appointments at mass immunization clinics, pharmacies, drive-through and walk-in clinics, and mobile clinics.
Over 435,000 residents have already received their first dose, said Merriman, and the majority of residents over the age of 18 are expected to receive their first dose by the end of May.
All Saskatchewan residents are expected to be fully vaccinated with both doses by the end of July, said officials.
“Vaccines are working,” said Merriman. “As our vaccination numbers continue to go up, our case numbers should continue to go down, so the most important his you can do, when it's your turn, is go and get your first shot.”
During second dose appointments, clinics will be providing residents with the same brand of vaccine as they received in their first dose. Merriman said the SHA will be making public the brands available at each clinic, to help residents book their appointments appropriately.
Merriman also said that officials are working to ensure that all vaccine types are available, including Moderna and AstraZeneca which have been experiencing recent delivery delays, and that federal officials are promising that supplies will be in place for June and July.
Merriman said that officials are not concerned that launching the second dose campaign will slow down the completion of the first dose campaign, as vaccine supplies are expected to be available.
“We’re going to move through that second dose very quickly. We’re predicting a six- to seven-week timeframe for second doses, from start to finish,” said Merriman.
Residents are encouraged to prepare for booking their second dose appointments by knowing the date they received their first vaccine and which brand was administered.
For those who don’t know this information or have misplaced their first dose vaccination card, they can call 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) for this information or check online through their MySaskHealthRecord account. Pharmacies are also able to check a patient's immunization records by request.
For more information on the vaccination plan, visit saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.
