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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 employees across the country.