40 per cent of eligible residents in Sask. not fully vaccinated against COVID-19
Saskatchewan is well into the two dose summer promised by the provincial government, but, despite a surplus of shots, a significant percentage of the eligible population still hasn’t been vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to provincial data released Wednesday, 60 per cent of those age 12 and older are fully vaccinated, leaving 40 per cent of the population vulnerable to COVID-19 and its deadly variants.
“I’m very concerned that people might think, you know what, pandemic is over, COVID is over, we’ve opened up, it’s time for summer. It’s still so important that people do get vaccinated,” said Dr. Tania Diener, immunization lead with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
The SHA said 60,000 appointments are currently unfilled at vaccine clinics, so the focus has shifted to taking vaccines to where the crowds are. The SHA is hosting mobile clinics across Regina at places like Maple Leaf Pool, the Farmers’ Market and various shopping malls.
There are now more vaccines available in Canada than people seeking them. Canada is administering 2.5 million doses a week, a 34 per cent decline since the end of June.
Vaccine shipments from the federal government are carefully tailored to match demand. So far, very few doses in Saskatchewan have gone to waste as clinics work hard to attract recipients and keep the supply flowing. As of July 18, 2021, approximately 0.16 per cent – or about 2,719 doses out of 1,723,135 doses – of all COVID-19 vaccines received have been tossed, said the Ministry of Health in a statement Wednesday.
According to the federal government’s schedule, the province is slated to receive 114,660 Pfizer doses next week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Freeland to present 2024 federal budget, promising billions in new spending
Canadians will learn Tuesday the entirety of the federal Liberal government's new spending plans, and how they intend to pay for them, when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tables the 2024 federal budget.
Your morning coffee may be hundreds of thousands of years old
Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world's most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as 'arabica.'
NASA confirms mystery object that crashed through roof of Florida home came from space station
NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station.
A look inside the gutted 24 Sussex Drive
The National Capital Commission is providing a glimpse inside the gutted 24 Sussex Drive, more than a year after the heritage building along the Ottawa River was closed.
Ontario woman charged almost $7,000 for 20-minute taxi ride abroad
An Ontario woman was shocked to find she’d been charged nearly $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company while on vacation in January.
Tim Hortons launches pizza nationally to 'stretch the brand' to afternoon, night
Tim Hortons is launching flatbread pizzas nationally in a bid to pick up more afternoon and evening customers.
What's at stake for Canada after Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel
Following the Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel over the weekend, Canada should take the threat of Iran and potential escalation of the conflict seriously, one global affairs analyst says.
Former B.C. school trustee's 'strip-tease artist' remark was defamatory, judge rules
A controversial former school trustee from B.C.'s Fraser Valley who described a political rival as a "strip-tease artist" during an election campaign has been ordered to pay her $45,000 for defamation.
'A sense of urgency': Sask. man accused of abducting daughter calls himself to the stand during trial
Michael Gordon Jackson, the man on trial after being charged with contravention of a custody order for allegedly abducting his daughter in late 2021 to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, called himself to the stand Monday.