Sask.'s top doctor says high COVID-19 vaccine uptake will protect children under 12
High community vaccine uptake is going to be key to protecting children ineligible for a COVID-19 shot as Saskatchewan begins to reopen.
"Children 11 and under are not independently mobile, so obviously if the vaccination rate is high in parents, families and friends, that indirectly protects children under 11," Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, said during Tuesday’s provincial update.
Saskatchewan’s reopening plan is predicated on strong vaccine uptake in people 12 and over. Most public health measures, including the mask mandate, will be removed when 70 per cent of residents 12 and over have their first dose.
Claire Allen and her family, which includes two kids under 12, have stayed close to home throughout the pandemic, but as the province opens up, they’re venturing out more.
"We’ve been inside for a long time abiding by the regulations and I think it’s time to open up," she said.
Allen is receiving her first dose of the vaccine next week and she’s confident that high vaccine uptake in the community will keep her family safe.
"I feel like the majority of people who are eligible to get vaccinated are getting vaccinated and I feel like people are still abiding by the precautions," she said.
To date, 25 per cent of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 cases have been in people 19 and under.
Across Canada, that age group has accounted for 19 per cent of cases, but only 1.8 per cent of hospitalizations.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Alexander Wong said with the virus still spreading in the community, the risk remains as the province reopens.
"It’s those indoor, poorly ventilated, tight quarter spaces, where we know transmission risk is highest and so honestly, it still makes sense to look at continuing to mask in those types of settings, whether you’re an adult or a kid," he said.
As restrictions are loosened and removed, Dr. Wong said it will be up to the individual to evaluate the level of risk that they’re willing to take.
"There's probably going to be a decent proportion, or subset, of people and their families who choose just to continue to mask, especially in indoor public spaces," he said.
Trials are currently underway into the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines in children under 12, but approval isn’t expected until late summer or the fall. Until then Dr. Wong recommends people remain cautious.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for ‘oafish’ comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Taylor Swift's new album allegedly 'leaked' on social media and it's causing a frenzy
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.