'Stay the course': Sask. physicians hoping province maintains COVID-19 measures to ease potential 5th wave
Saskatchewan’s physicians are encouraging the province to “stay the course” with its current public health measures, as a way to reduce the severity of a fifth wave of COVID-19.
“All the signs and the signals across Canada are looking like, even in Saskatchewan, we’re probably going to experience either a fifth wave or a wavelet of some sort,” Dr. Johnmark Opondo, SHA’s medical health officer and offensive chief for public health, said Thursday.
Doctors are suggesting that the current health measures should be left in place until the spring, based on slides from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) physician town hall on Thursday night.
“I think we learned from experience, suddenly lifting all public health orders simultaneously at once can really have a spring back effect, and even the victories we’ve gained can be quickly lost,” Opondo said.
The physicians suggest there are three main factors that would likely contribute to a fifth wave in Saskatchewan: waning immunity from vaccines, population behaviour including masking and reduced social mixing; and the emergence of the recently discovered Omicron variant.
Opondo said Saskatchewan is in a phase of “enhanced surveillance” when it comes to Omicron, but the variant has yet to be detected in the province.
The province had the sixth highest average daily new case rate per 100,000 population among Canadian provinces, at 43 as of Thursday, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Saskatchewan has the second highest COVID-19 death rate among provinces only behind Manitoba, at an average 2.5 per 100,000 population over the past two weeks.
The SHA has observed a decline in daily case rate in most areas, except for Yorkton, Estevan, Saskatoon, Edam, Kerrobert and Caronport. Virus transmission continues to be seen primarily in households and social gatherings.
“COVID and the Delta wave, things seem to be declining,” Opondo said. “We still do have hotspots in various parts of the province.”
Heading into the holidays, doctors are urging families to consider the health measure already in place.
“In terms of using proof of vaccination as a way to support yourself and your loved ones. Even rapid antigen tests which are largely available in many places, many outlets in the community, use them to really support yourself and your family before you get into family groups,” Opondo said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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 Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
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.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
'Wild, wild west.' Families say organs of deceased Alabama inmates have been removed without their consent
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Juror dismissed from Trump hush money trial as prosecutors seek to hold former president in contempt
A juror in Donald Trump's hush money trial was dismissed Thursday after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair and impartial, and the status of a second New Yorker picked for the panel was in limbo amid concerns that some of his answers in court may not have been accurate.