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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.