Highs and lows of Sask. vaccination uptake detailed in latest modelling
Some of Saskatchewan’s rural communities continue to have lower than anticipated vaccination uptake, according to the latest COVID-19 modelling from the Government of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer said other rural communities have exceeded vaccination uptake expectations.
In the province’s Far North West, uptake for both first and second doses were less than 50 per cent, but uptake is at 95 per cent in the Melfort area.
Source: Government of Saskatchewan
Vaccination uptake in Prince Albert is more than 80 per cent for both first and second doses. In Regina and Saskatoon, the majority of communities reported a vaccination uptake of more than 80 per cent for both first and second doses, with some urban communities coming in between 70 and 79 per cent update. In Regina’s North Central neighbourhood, vaccination uptake slowed for second doses – where there was 50 to 69 per cent uptake reported.
“Public health medical health officers are working with community leaders to, first of all, celebrate high vaccinate uptake, understand success factors but then also work with communities -- asking these community leaders for influence,” Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer said.
But Dr. Shahab said the modelling for vaccine uptake by geographical region can be skewed due to population density in certain areas.
“Many of these large geographies have a sparse population so visually, you know, the red and the yellow and the orange seems vast, but we know about 50 per cent of the population is in Regina and Saskatoon. So many of these regional urban hubs also have high vaccination uptake,” he said. “It's hard to display these things perfectly.”
Due to access to vaccination clinics and transportation in larger urban centres, Dr. Shahab said Regina and Saskatoon are better equipped to address vaccine hesitancy resulting in higher vaccine uptake. He said it is up to community leaders to encourage vaccination in hopes of avoiding a fifth wave.
Saskatchewan's health minister says vaccine uptake will be the key to avoiding a fifth wave
“I think we’re still in around 2,000 vaccines per day, first and second dose,” Paul Merriman said. “We need to increase that. It’s going to jump up when the Johnson & Johnson, and the children are eligible.”
HOSPITALIZATION TRENDS
Daily hospital admissions are down 29 per cent in the last two weeks and ICU admission are down 41 per cent.
Saskatchewan remains first among Canadian provinces in hospitalizations and ICU admissions per 100,000 people.
Sixty-seven per cent of COVID-19 ICU admissions occurred within 24 hours of arriving at the hospital.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.