Rate of COVID-19 cases in vaccinated residents not currently a concern: Sask. health authority

REGINA -

The percentage of vaccinated people testing positive for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan appears to be climbing, however the province’s top doctor says the new trend is not something to worry about.

Of the 85 cases reported on Tuesday, 64 per cent were in unvaccinated residents, 30 per cent were fully vaccinated and 6 per cent were partially vaccinated. On Monday, 42 per cent of new cases were in individuals who had one or both shots.

According to Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, those numbers don’t tell the whole story.

“Eighty-one per cent of (Saskatchewan’s) population is fully vaccinated. If 81 per cent of the population is seeing 50 cases, the rate per 100,000 is much lower versus the remaining 20 per cent of the population that is unvaccinated,” Dr. Saqib Shahab said.

He said number of vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 cases are very close, but the rate of infection for the unvaccinated is 16 per 100,000, while rate of infection is three per 100,000 for the vaccinated population.

He added the province is watching the rate of infection numbers.

“Because the vast majority of the population is vaccinated,” Shahab said. “Also, severe outcomes right now in people who are under 65 are limited exclusively, for the most part, to people who are unvaccinated.”

According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), the COVID-19 vaccine is similar to the influenza vaccine, meaning it’s meant to minimize symptoms, transmission and hospitalizations, not to eradicate the virus.

During questioning in the Legislative Assembly Tuesday, the Saskatchewan NDP said the province needs to keep an eye on those breakthrough cases.

NDP leader Ryan Meili said breakthrough cases start because of high transmission in an area.

“Many people have gotten COVID-19 because of the choices of the premier to have no restrictions in the summer, ignoring the modelling numbers and to increase the level of COVID-19 circulating,” Meili added.

Responding to a question from Meili during Question Period on Wednesday, Premier Scott Moe advocated for the province’s current health restrictions and noted the rising vaccination rates.

“Saskatchewan people are doing the right thing, they are going out and getting vaccinated. Saskatchewan people are following the public health orders that are in place, and that’s why our active case count is down almost 80 per cent since our peak,” Moe said.

Premier Scott Moe said as COVID-19 numbers come down, it’s expected that the percentage of vaccinated people catching the virus will increase.

“Thankfully vaccines are not only effective in preventing you from getting COVID, in many cases, but largely, largely reduce your chances of ending up in hospital,” said Moe.

BOOSTER SHOT SUCCESS

During Tuesday’s COVID-19 update, Shahab said the booster shot program is seeing success.

Currently in the province, residents 50 and older in the Far North region, 65 and older in the general population and health-care workers who recieved their second COVID-19 vaccine dose more than six month ago are eligible for a booster dose.

“We have seen great success with booster doses for all long term care residents, they were given in September. As a result we have seen much lower cases in long term care thankfully,” Shahab said.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has approved the use of a booster dose for anyone over the age of 18.

Shahab said the province is currently analyzing data around transmission rates after booster doses are given and if it needs to expand age eligibility in Saskatchewan.

He added those announcements will come at a later date.