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'Basics remain the same': Sask.’s CMHO gives advice ahead of fall COVID-19 surge

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Saskatchewan’s top doctor is reminding residents not to get complacent, as the province is on the cusp of a fall COVID-19 surge.

“The basics remain the same. If you are unwell, stay home,” said Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.

“If you are in a crowded place with lots of people you don’t know, it’s a good idea to wear a mask and that’s increasingly going to be more important in the fall.”

COVID-19 transmission is increasing across the province, according to the Saskatchewan government’s latest epidemiology report released Thursday.

Data, from July 17 to Aug. 13, shows hospital admissions have increased from the previous report. The number of hospitalizations averaged about 122 each week, compared to 88 each week from the previous report.

ICU admissions are holding fairly steady, averaging seven per week, according to the report, and 27 people died from the virus between July 17 to Aug. 13.

COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care and high-risk settings increased 15 fold with 46 outbreaks recorded in the last update.

“We are entering third fall in the pandemic and each year is totally different,” the doctor said, adding the absence or presence of vaccinations and public health measures have largely determined the outcomes of our fall surges.

“We are now entering our seventh wave … and what we’ve seen in other jurisdictions is it doesn’t seem to go as high as the previous Omicron wave, and that certainly is what we hope will be the case here.”

Dr. Cory Neudorf, interim senior medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said this wave is largely driven by the Omicron sub-variant BA.5.

“Most of the attempts at predicting that I’ve seen have shown that we will see a slow continued increase in cases through September and into early October,” he said.

Nationally, 42 per cent of kids 5 to 11 years old have their second vaccination and fewer than one in five teenagers ages 12 to 17 have their first booster dose.

Neudorf said low vaccine uptake makes other measures that much more important, including mask use, hand washing and staying home when sick.

Shahab is hopeful that kids ages 5 to 11 will receive their third dose now that Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s youth booster vaccine.

“Right now, two doses is not enough to be considered fully vaccinated,” Shahab said.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority said its provincial vaccination teams will assess vaccine supply and delivery logistics, and there will be a public announcement on availability for youth booster doses as soon as a plan is reached.

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