COVID-19 in Sask: 2nd vaccine doses to be available to all residents 12 and older by June 24

Every eligible Saskatchewan resident age 12 and older will be able to receive their second COVID-19 vaccine shot by June 24, according to the province.

The timing of each person's shot will depend on the length of time that has passed since their first dose.

The province says this accelerated second dose schedule is due to the increase in expected Moderna deliveries.

Updates on when age groups become eligible are scheduled Mondays and Thursdays each week until all remaining populations are eligible.

Right now, second doses are available to anyone 55 and older or anyone who received their first dose on or before April 7.

Residents who have been diagnosed with or are being treated for cancer, and those who have received solid organ transplants, will receive a letter of eligibility in the mail that will allow them priority access to a second dose, according to the province.

Meanwhile, beginning Monday, second doses will be available to all northern Sask. residents age 18 and older, based on when they got their first shot and which vaccine they received. 

An additional 15,212 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the province Thursday, bringing the total number to 860,651.

Seventy-eight per cent of those over the age of 40 in Saskatchewan have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The rate is 73 per cent for those 30 and older, 68 per cent for those 18 and up, and 66 per cent for those 12 and older.

Daily COVID-19 numbers

Saskatchewan reported 81 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. One more person from the 80 and older age group in Saskatoon has died. 

There are now 104 people in hospital in the province due to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, including 17 in intensive care.

Another 2,165 COVID-19 tests were processed in Saskatchewan Thursday, according to the province's update. Of the 47,764 known COVID-19 cases to date in the province, 899 cases are considered active.

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 78 — 6.4 new cases per 100,000 population.

The new cases reported Friday are in the following provincial zones:

• Far northwest: three. 
• Far northeast: four.
• Northwest: 13.
• North central: seven.
• Northeast: three.
• Saskatoon: 17.
• Central east: three.
• Regina: 14.
• South central: seven.
• Southeast: two.

Residence information is pending for one other new case.

The province also reported 98 new recoveries from COVID-19 on Friday.