An听early听holiday听gift听will听soon听be on听its听way听to听Saskatchewan听as听another听shipment听of the听Pfizer听BioNTech听vaccine听is听expected听to听arrive听in听Saskatoon听next听week,听as听early听as听December听21.
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The听first听step听of听Phase听1听of the听Vaccine听Delivery听Plan will听be听begin听next听week听as听1,950听health care听workers听in听Saskatoon听ICUs, Emergency听Departments,听Covid听Units, testing and听assessment听centres听willreceive听their initial听dose听of the听vaccine听at听Merlis听Belcher Place听at the听University听of听Saskatchewan.听Recipients听will听receive听their听second dose听three听to听four听weeks听later.
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鈥淪askatchewan听has听been ready听to听receive听and waiting听to听deliver听the听COVID-19听vaccine,听as听I听said last听week,鈥� Health Minister Paul听Merriman听said.听听鈥淪o it听was听welcome听news when听we听learned听that听the first听shipment听would听arrive听before听the听holidays.听I听consider听this the听best听gift听to听see听more听health care听workers听in听our听province being听immunized,听and look听forward听to听delivering听it to听more听of the听peopleat听highest听risk.鈥�
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Phase听1听of听Saskatchewan鈥檚听Vaccine听Delivery听Plan听focuses听on听immunizing听priority听populations who听are听at听a听higher听risk of听exposure听to听the听virus听as听well听as听those听more听at risk of听serious听illness.听This听includes听health care听workers,听staff and听residents听of听long-term听care facilities, those听in听the 80听plus听range, residents over听50听in听northern听and听remote听areas听and听as the听supply听of听vaccine allows,听those听70to听79听years听of听age.
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In听addition,听the听immunization听pilot听in听Regina听is听expanding听to听include听more听health care听professionals.听The听pilot,听which includes 1,950听health care听workers,听will now听expand听to听key frontline staff听in听the听Saskatchewan听Cancer听Agency, Emergency听Medical Services听(EMS)听and听anesthetists.听Additional听priority听groups听are听being considered depending听on听uptake.
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Since听Tuesday 250听people have received听the first听dose听of the听Pfizer听vaccine听(11听on听December听15听and 239听on听December听16).听There听are 301听people booked听to听receive听the听vaccine today.
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鈥淭hese听additional groups have been听identified given they are also听at听higher-risk听of听contracting听COVID-19,听and听because听of听their听work听with at-risk听patients,鈥� SHA CEO Scott Livingstone听said.听鈥淥f听course,听our听supplies听are听limited,听so听we will look听to听continue providing additional doses听to听these听groups听as听more听vaccine听is听received.鈥�
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Officials are using听lessons learned听in听the听pilot听for the听logistics听of听transporting,听storing and distributing听the听vaccine. Health听Canada听approval听of the听Moderna听vaccine听is听expected听soon, which听could听meana听shipment听to听Saskatchewan听later听this听month.听The听Moderna听vaccine听can听be听stored听in听regular听temperature freezers听which听will听make听it听easier听to听transport听to听and use听in听smaller,听rural听centres.
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Widespread听vaccine access听to听begin听immunization听of the听general population听will听be听part听of听Phase听2听of the听delivery听plan, tentatively听beginning听in听April听2021, which听is听why听it is听critical听for allSaskatchewan听residents听to听continue following听public health听orders听and听measures听while听the听vaccination program听is听delivered.
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For听more听information听on听Saskatchewan鈥檚听COVID-19听vaccine planning,听visit听https://www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19-vaccine.
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General public inquiries may be directed to听[email protected].
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