The province’s top doctor says looking at the current timeline, people in Saskatchewan should expect vaccine shots to be available in April or May.

More details on a vaccine rollout plan will be unveiled by the government sometime next week, but chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab is saying that until the time comes when the vaccines arrive, we need to stay diligent with maintaining public health protocols. As it stands right now, the province will be getting 180,000 doses to start. Some people have indicated they won’t take a vaccine when the time comes that one can be given. Health Minister Paul Merriman is advising all to get that vaccine so we can get back to life the way it was before the middle of March, but at the end of the day, the government will not be forcing it on you.

Also, Wednesday’s 238 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is much lower than what modelling had predicted a couple of weeks ago, which has some feeling that the latest restrictions announced by the provincial government is working. Dr. Shahab would like to see the number of new cases be significantly lower, but he is cautiously optimistic that things are improving…adding the guidelines announced last month are showing a positive trend which will continue if people continue adhering to the rules put forth.

Meanwhile, when it comes to perhaps loosening restrictions on family gatherings over Christmas, Shahab says it is far too early to say if that will happen or not.