Here's what residents should know as Sask. heads into 2nd pandemic Thanksgiving
Saskatchewan residents are heading into their second pandemic Thanksgiving and the government has offered some recommendations for weekend gatherings.
At this time, formal gathering restrictions are have not been put in place.
The province said household gatherings are the primary source of COVID-19 transmission in Saskatchewan and asked residents to take precautions.
“Particularly for those thanksgiving diners, be mindful of gathering sizes,” said Dr. Lanre Medu, a medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
Outdoor gatherings are encouraged as much as possible. The province said if you are holding indoor gatherings, be aware of your guests’ vaccination status. Children 12 and under are at elevated risk of COVID-19 transmission since they are not eligible for vaccination at this time.
“Don’t discount any symptoms. Don’t attend that Thanksgiving diner (if you are sick) and get tested,” said Medu.
The government added a specific warning for unvaccinated residents.
“If you are unvaccinated, you should not gather with family and friends this long weekend, as you are putting them at risk,” the province said in a news release.
Gatherings in close quarters and shared food service create a high risk for COVID-19 transmission, according to the government.
In 2020, indoor and outdoor gatherings for Thanksgiving were capped at 30 people, but the COVID-19 situation in the province is much different than it was last year.
On Oct. 5, 2020, the province had 143 active COVID-19 cases.
As of Tuesday, the Saskatchewan has 4,385 COVID-19 cases currently considered active. Case counts rose steadily through August and September, but have stabilized after a record high of 4,864 was reported on Sept. 26.
In an emailed statement, the province said it “will not be making an order to limit gathering sizes."
"The vast majority of new cases and hospitalizations are unvaccinated residents and those who are not vaccinated should get vaccinated,” the province said in the statement.
While there are no gathering restrictions in place in the province as of Tuesday, Saskatchewan’s top doctor offered a warning for residents last week.
Speaking on Sept. 29, chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said COVID-19 would have an impact on the 2021 holiday season, based on the current trajectory of cases.
“We will not only not have Thanksgiving at this rate, we will likely not have Christmas and New Years at this rate,” Dr. Shahab said Wednesday.
In 2020, the province implemented strict gathering restrictions days before Christmas. Private gatherings were limited to immediate households.
When those measures went into effect on Dec. 17, the seven-day average of new cases was half of what was recorded Wednesday and there were 126 COVID-19 patients in hospital – compared to the pandemic-high 311 recorded Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan NDP is asking the government to do more to prevent another spike after Thanksgiving, this year.
“Bring in the appropriate overall gathering size restrictions, according to the modelling, share that modelling, and give people clear instructions on thanksgiving,” said Ryan Meili, leader of the NDP.
Meili said he couldn’t speculate on what gathering restrictions would be needed, as he said this needs to come from the COVID-19 modelling date, which the government is no longer releasing.
With files from CTV Regina's Janelle Blakley
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.