Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Saskatchewan

COVID-19 in Sask.: Province expands vaccine eligibility to more front-line health-care workers

Those eligible now include front-line staff in private digital imaging clinics, community labs, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and in private physicians' offices who provide patient care.

Some non-Saskatchewan Health Authority workers now eligible; 221 new COVID-19 cases reported, 2 more deaths

Laura Sciarpelletti · CBC News ·
As of Friday, 58 per cent of Saskatchewan residents age 50 and over have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. (Paul Sancya/AP)

The province is expanding vaccine eligibility for non-Saskatchewan Health Authority health-care workers who are on the front line in clinical care areas.

Those eligible now include front-line staff in private digital imaging clinics, community labs, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and in private physicians' offices who provide patient care, the province announced Friday.

The newly included health-care workers will receive a letter of eligibility over the coming days, which they will need in order to register for COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the province. Appointments for this select group must be made through the telephone booking system only.

Saskatchewan also reported 221 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Two more people have died due to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus: a person in their 60s from the northwest zone, and a person in their 40s from the southeast zone. 

There are 190 people in hospital in the province due to COVID-19, including 44 in intensive care. 

Regina has the bulk of the ICU patients, with 30.  

There were 3,739 COVID-19 tests processed in the province Thursday, according to the province's latest COVID-19 update.

(Government of Saskatchewan)

The province reported 277 new cases involving the more contagious coronavirus variants of concern on Friday. Regina accounts for 76 per cent of Saskatchewan's total variant cases to date.

Of the 37,615 known COVID-19 cases to date in the province, 2,603 cases are considered active. 

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 264 — 21.6 new cases per 100,000 population. 

The new cases Friday are in the following provincial zones:

  • Far northwest: five. 
  • Far northeast: five.
  • Northwest: 21.
  • North central: eight.
  • Northeast: four.
  • Saskatoon: 25.
  • Central west: one.
  • Central east: 11.
  • Regina: 57.
  • Southwest: 18.
  • South central: 25.
  • Southeast: 25.

Residence information is pending for 16 other new cases.

The province also reported 225 new recoveries on Friday.

There were 3,739 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan Thursday.  (Kamran Jebreili/AP Photo)

More than 320,000 vaccines administered

As of Friday, 58 per cent of Saskatchewan residents age 50 and over have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

There were 8,168 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered Thursday in Saskatchewan, according to the province.

To date, a total of 323,573 shots have been administered. 

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story said there were 66 COVID-19 patients in intensive care in Regina. In fact, there are 30.
    Apr 16, 2021 3:21 PM CT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Sciarpelletti

Journalist & Radio Columnist

Laura is a journalist for CBC Saskatchewan. She is also the community reporter for CBC's virtual road trip series Land of Living Stories and host of the arts and culture radio column Queen City Scene Setter, which airs on CBC's The Morning Edition. Laura previously worked for CBC Vancouver. Some of her former work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, NYLON Magazine, VICE Canada and The Tyee. Laura specializes in human interest, arts and health care coverage. She holds a master of journalism degree from the University of British Columbia. Send Laura news tips at laura.sciarpelletti@cbc.ca

    CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
    Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|