Sask. expands booster shot eligibility
“As people are nearing their five-month (mark), although small, we were seeing a definite signal of an increase in breakthrough cases—mostly mild but a few unfortunately resulting in hospitalizations,” said the province’s chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
“We hope that this will allow many people who are still in some ways protected from COVID to boost their immunity and further reduce their risk of mild illness.”
Expanding eligibility means more than 500,000 Saskatchewan residents can now get their booster.
For those in the 65 and older category, Shahab says uptake in booster doses is about 60 to 70 per cent.
The province said its target is to make booster shots available to Saskatchewan adults by early 2022.
“We really hope that people who are eligible now come forward as they become eligible to make that process smooth,” Shahab said.
Both Moderna and Pfizer’s mRNA booster vaccines are approved by Health Canada. According to health officials, they can be administered to anyone who is fully vaccinated with two doses of mRNA vaccine or AstraZeneca, as well as a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
The SHA says residents will only be able to receive AstraZenca as a booster if there is a documented medical contraindication to an mRNA vaccine.
Those who received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive an mRNA booster two months after their first dose.
Derek Miller, emergency operations centre commander for the SHA, says vaccine supply and clinic resources should not be a problem.
“We are planning on a monthly basis to be able to do about 260,000 shots across the SHA and pharmacies,” Miller said.
As of Tuesday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority had about 33,000 appointments available in its booking system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.