In a rare provincial address, Premier Scott Moe thanked the people of Saskatchewan for reducing the spread of COVID-19.
He says the key is keeping case numbers low while allowing more businesses to open and more people to go back to work but only if they proceed with extreme caution. Premier Moe says if they move too quickly then they risk spreading COVID-19. If they move too slowly they risk permanent damage to the livelihoods of Saskatchewan people with businesses currently shuttered never able to re-open, so the government has to find the right path.
Moe gave an update on the current situation: as of Wednesday Saskatchewan has seen 326 cases of covid 19, four people have died, 261 have now recovered from the virus and there are 61 active cases.
“To put those numbers in context, on a per capita basis, the number of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan is about 70 per cent below the Canadian average, and the number of serious outcomes – hospitalizations and deaths – is more than 90 per cent below the national average.”
Scott Moe says the plan was developed in close consultation with Dr. Shahab and it will be carried out in five phases while carefully monitoring COVID-19 numbers and will be adjusted if necessary. He also stressed that any business going back to work will have to abide by the same measures as those businesses which never closed including appropriate protections and physical distancing as well as the necessary increased hygiene practices.
He points out that travel, large gatherings, and senior care homes were the hotbed for COVID-19 spread in Canada and to that end all restrictions around those entities remain in place.
As well, he says the first couple phases will begin in May and it will be a gradual, methodical and cautious process.
“It’s not like flipping on a light switch. If anything, it’s more like a dimmer switch that’s been turned down…over the next several weeks, we will gradually be turning up the light once again on Saskatchewan’s economy.”
The Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan will be unveiled at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
