Saskatchewan’s Health Minister says the COVID-19 vaccinations are happening as quickly as they can, considering the limited number that have been received. Paul Merriman says the federal government directed them to hold back enough vaccines for the second shots needed for the Pfizer vaccine in their first two shipments, which they have done for the Regina health care worker pilot project and for the beginning of Phase 1 with Saskatoon health care workers. From now on though, he says they will administer all vaccines as they arrive without saving for the second dose so they can get more people vaccinated.

The Moderna vaccinations have begun in the far north. Merriman says it it may seem like the roll out is slower than we would all like, but that’s because of the logistics of getting the shots where they need to be, and for instance in the sparsely populated north, it can’t be done all in one place. He suggests it’s not the same as a mass flu vaccine clinic where you can get a thousand done in one day.

As of Wednesday, 4,524 doses have been administered. The second doses for Regina health care workers is just beginning and will begin next week in Saskatoon.

Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab says Phase 1, which began with the health care workers in Saskatoon who are exposed to the virus, will continue through January and February and will include the rest of Saskatchewan’s health care workers across the province, and staff and residents of long-term care homes and care homes. He says the rate at which the vaccines can be administered depends on how much is being shipped.

At this point he expects in March and April, the vaccinations will move on to seniors and those who are immunocompromised. Teachers and other workers who are out in the public would be next in May and June followed by the rest of the province in July and August.

Dr. Shahab’s advice for care homes is to get all the consent forms and any medical allergy information ready before the vaccinations arrive at their facilities, even if they don’t know when it will happen. He suggests that information should be sorted out this week before health care workers arrive to administer the shots. Shahab says this is not new for long-term care facilities and care homes because it’s the same thing that happens every year with flu shots .

Click here for the provincial government’s updated vaccination plan. Vaccine update Jan 6 2021