The Saskatchewan Health Authority is hoping people who test positive for COVID-19 will inform their own close contacts. The SHA calls it a modified approach to contact tracing, because of the surge in positive cases and the large number of close contacts compared to when there were more restrictions.

The SHA says in a news release the surge combined with the limited public health resources has resulted in an inability to provide timely notifications to individuals who may have been exposed and are at risk. SHA Public Health will, as quickly as possible, notify individuals who test positive, and will provide isolation education. At the same time, those who test positive will be educated on who is a close contact and what information they should provide to their contacts.

The SHA will continue to identify those who test positive in healthcare settings, in vulnerable populations, long term care and other group living settings, so that outbreak prevention and control measures can be put into action quickly.