As of Thursday, everyone eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Saskatchewan is now able to get their second shot, as long as it has been 28 days since their first one. That, from Health Minister Paul Merriman, who says Wednesday was a record day for vaccinations with almost 25,000 doses. To date, almost 1,049,000 vaccines have been administered. Merriman urges everyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet to do so, noting that the overwhelming majority of people catching the virus now are people who haven’t been vaccinated, and they are also more likely to get seriously ill than those who are fully protected with two shots.
Although the goal of 70 per cent of all eligible residents having had their first shot hasn’t been reached, the provincial government has decided to go ahead with the full re-opening on July 11th because the number of vaccinations is so close. Merriman says 69 per cent of eligible residents have been vaccinated and he expects it will be at 70 per cent or over in the next few days. He adds that there are plenty of opportunities to get vaccinated. The Saskatchewan Health Authority has over 47,000 booked appointments available at clinics throughout the province.
During the virtual COVID-1 update, the Health Minister, the Chief Medical Health Officer and a spokesperson for the Saskatchewan Health Authority all touched on the tragic news about 751 unmarked graves found at near the former Marieval Residential School at the Cowessess First Nation. Minister Paul Merriman expressed shock and sadness, saying the government will continue to support all First Nations as they continue the heartbreaking but important work of finding more unmarked grave sites and exposing this dark chapter in our nation’s history. Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab reached out to all who have been touched by the residential school system, saying it is an unspeakable tragedy which occurred over generations and, “every Canadian must play a part to acknowledge and understand the gravity of such loss.” The SHA’s Chief of Emergency Operations, Derek Miller, says their CEO Scott Livingstone called on everyone within the SHA to pause and reflect on this news, and recommit to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
