Premier Scott Moe hinted on Wednesday, January 26 in an interview with CKOM radio that he is considering ending some COVID-19 health restrictions, including vaccine passports.

“(The proof of vaccination requirement) has really for the most part run its course,” Moe is quoted as saying in a story on the CKOM website January 26. “It increased our vaccination rates tremendously but I think we’re getting to a point now where those that are not vaccinated likely aren’t going to get vaccinated. It’s time for us as a government to manage COVID as we move forward, and it’s time for us as a society to understand that we are going to be living with COVID for some period of time.

“The goal is to remove all of those restrictions when we are able.”

Moe did not elaborate on when current public health restrictions may be altered, saying an announcement is likely to be made in the near future.

Meanwhile, the NDP opposition and several health care unions in the province are calling for restrictions to be beefed up, citing high numbers of positive COVID cases and ongoing pressures within the health care system.

During a media conference January 26 shortly after the Premier’s radio interview, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) President Marlo Pritchard said the province is focusing on encouraging vaccination and booster shots, as well as providing free public access to rapid antigen tests in an effort to mitigate the current wave of Omicron cases.

“So far, 13.5 million rapid test kits have been distributed through 600 locations across the province,” said Pritchard.

  He noted that 85 per cent of children over five years old have received their first dose of vaccine and 79 per cent have had their second dose.

In addition, he said, the first shipments of Pfizer’s antiviral pill Paxlovid have arrived and eligible residents could begin receiving treatment with the medication. The pill is only available for adults 18 and older and is designed to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID, if the patient has a confirmed positive test and is at high risk of becoming seriously ill.

Referrals for Paxlovid treatment can only be obtained by phoning the Saskatchewan Health Line at 811.

Pritchard noted wait times for the 811 health line have been reduced significantly thanks to additional administrative staff fielding calls.

Saskatchewan Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab

Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, would not comment directly during the January 26 media briefing on the implications of lifting some public health restrictions.

“The government’s decision will be communicated in due course,” said Shahab. “But every jurisdiction, not just Saskatchewan, is assessing the situation and navigating their own path forward.

“Every province has its own strengths and challenges. In Saskatchewan, we have the widest availability of rapid tests, and that is one of our strengths.

“We also were one of the first to start wide access to booster doses, and that is also a strength.”

Unfortunately, Shahab added, the uptake of booster doses in many rural and northern communities is “sub-optimum”, which puts the population in those areas at higher risk.

“The data from the United States, United Kingdom and other provinces shows the clear benefit of booster doses in preventing hospitalization and death,” said Shahab. “The Omicron virus is more transmissible but less severe for people who are fully vaccinated.”

Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Interim Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller said the Omicron wave has impacted front-line staffing levels at hospitals, with almost 2,000 employees province-wide being off due to pandemic sick leave.

“Last week about 17 per cent of the workforce was experiencing absences from work,” said Miller. “This week it’s about 18 per cent. Our typical baseline absentee rate is about 13 per cent. So that is having an impact in multiple areas. But, our front line teams are doing an amazing job in responding.”

Miller said the SHA has a strategy to manage the surge in COVID cases, including transferring some patients from Saskatoon to smaller hospitals in outlying communities, redeploying staff to areas where they are most needed, and bringing in more casual and part-time staff in addition to overtime for permanent employees.