'Trust yourself': Sask. premier won't implement restrictions despite top doctor's recommendations for smaller gatherings
Saskatchewan’s premier says implementing recommendations or restrictions on gathering sizes would not be effective in decreasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, despite advice from the province’s top doctor.
Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer issued a recommendation against unnecessary gatherings during the current surge in coronavirus cases last week, which he reiterated during Wednesday’s COVID-19 update.
Dr. Saqib Shahab said a 10 person gathering limit “could help”, but that not even 10 people should be meeting at this point in Saskatchewan’s wave of new Omicron cases. He recommended residents “hunker down” for two to four weeks and minimize gatherings and non-essential contact. He also recommended against non-essential travel between communities in the province, to prevent a further surge in cases.
Premier Scott Moe said that preventative measures are not the answer to a surge in new cases or hospitalizations that could follow.
“Measures don’t seem to be having any impact on the case numbers in [other] jurisdictions,” Moe said. “We don’t see [restrictions] being effective in other places and we do see what we’re doing being quite effective.”
But Dr. Shahab doubled down on his recommendations Wednesday, saying restricting gatherings would help control new COVID-19 cases.
“Right now I'm saying because we are doing more, children are at school, many people are back at work I'm saying very clearly minimize your non-school, non-work contacts,” Shahab said. “Minimize getting together with friends and family. Try not to have that gathering, push that back towards March, April because I think that can only help right now.”
Health officials are preparing Saskatchewan’s health-care system for a “surge” in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and ICU admissions. According to Shahab, Saskatchewan trends behind other Canadian provinces by roughly two to four weeks when it comes to new cases and hospitalizations.
Health-care staffing continues to cause concern for the Saskatchewan government. According to health officials, two to four per cent of health authority staff are absent from work on any given day due to COVID-19 isolation protocol.
When asked about Shahab’s recommendations on gatherings, Moe said Saskatchewan residents are still gathering, but seem to be gathering less. Moe said there are consequences to limiting gatherings and other restrictions.
When asked who Saskatchewan people should trust, the premier said residents should “trust themselves” and conduct personal risk assessments.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to be safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in the hush money trial of former U.S. president Donald Trump, prepared to testify about a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Boy Scouts of America changing name to more inclusive title after years of woes
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.