A new group of healthcare workers has been added to the priority list for Phase 1 vaccines in Saskatchewan. Premier Scott Moe says an extra 11,500 people who would be involved in giving vaccinations, homecare, and those who work in surgery are now included, among others.The complete list is below. The Premier also announced on Tuesday that the extra restrictions put in place in December which were to continue until February 19th pending an extension, will now continue until at least March 19th.
Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab says two weeks of declining numbers in transmission and fatalities isn’t enough, and with the addition of the new reality of COVID-19 variants, it was decided to extend the deadline. Shahab notes there are many essential workers other than those in healthcare who have been working in grocery stores, in emergency services and in the trucking industry among others, all through the pandemic. He says there are no priorities in place for vaccinating these workers at this time, because age is still the highest risk factor for serious illness and death from COVID-19. However, Shahab suggests that when the mass vaccinations begin, maybe there can be a system worked out where essential workers take priority in their age groups.
Here is the list of additional healthcare workers added to the Phase 1 vaccination group:
Individuals directly involved in delivering COVID-19 immunizations in Phase 2 including physicians (up to 2,600), pharmacists (up to 1,200) and other SHA health care providers involved in delivering COVID-19 immunizations;
Anesthesia/operating rooms;
All other critical care areas;
Hemodialysis;
Vaccination teams;
Radiology technicians;
ECG/echo;
Phlebotomy/lab workers handling COVID-19 specimens; and
Home care (direct care providers).
Here are the rest of the details form the province:
The current public health order will remain in effect until March 19, 2021. Public health officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 transmission trends throughout this period. Detail on the current public health measures is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-measures.
Phase 1 prioritization of individuals and health care workers initially sequenced continues. Health care workers previously announced in the Phase 1 priority sequencing include: health care workers in emergency departments, intensive care units, COVID-19 wards and COVID testing and assessment staff. Other individuals initially included in Phase 1 sequencing include: Long-term care and personal care home residents and staff, residents 70 and older in all communities, and residents over the age of 50 living in remote or northern Saskatchewan.
Phase 2 of the vaccine delivery plan remains unchanged and will continue as previously announced. Phase 2 will focus on the general population in 10 year increments, starting with ages 60 to 69. Phase 2 will continue to provide targeted access for adults and staff in group homes for persons with intellectual disabilities and shelters, and adults identified as clinically extremely vulnerable.
Enforcing Public Health Measures
Enforcement of public health orders is permitted under The Public Health Act, 1994. Public health inspectors will be supported in their efforts to ticket violators quickly to ensure that businesses and events are brought into compliance as quickly as possible, in addition to the enforcement efforts that have been undertaken by police agencies throughout the province.
The week of February 8, Specklebelly’s Brew Pub in Saskatoon was fined $14,000 for failure to abide by public health orders. While 18 locations were inspected in Regina and Saskatoon on Sunday, February 7, public health did not observe breaches of the public health order that warranted enforcement.
For more information on the current public health measures or to see the Public Health Order, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-measures.
