North Dakota may vaccinate Sask. truck drivers, premier says offer is 'extremely generous'

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said Tuesday he has had discussions with the governor of North Dakota about potentially having Saskatchewan truck drivers vaccinated in the state.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister and Governor Doug Burgum made a joint announcement Tuesday that the state would set up a free vaccination clinic for Manitoba truck drivers starting Wednesday.

Roughly 2,000 to 4,000 drivers are expected to take part in the program, which is expected to last six to eight weeks.

Moe said Tuesday afternoon Saskatchewan was looking at a similar arrangement.

Moe said the governor told him his state "may be able to set up vaccination clinics just south of the border to vaccinate Saskatchewan truckers who are there travelling northbound back into Canada"

"This is an extremely generous offer by the governor of North Dakota and the people of North Dakota and that is appreciated by myself and this province."

Moe said Burgum told him his state has a "healthy vaccine supply" with people 18 and over eligible for a vaccine in the state.

The premier said the only reason he was having the discussion with Burgum about the arrangement was the "erratic" vaccine supply in Canada.

"Their cases peaked at more than 2,000 per day in a single as well as having more than 300 people in hospital."

Moe said 46 per cent of North Dakotans had received a first dose and the state had "about 140 cases per day and 35 people in hospital."

"Vaccinations are working in North Dakota and they will work in other areas of the world."

As of Tuesday, 26 per cent of the Saskatchewan population had received one dose.

The government of Saskatchewan's latest update said 51 per cent of those over 40 in the province had received at least one dose.

Moe said the government was "shooting ultimately for 70 per cent" vaccine uptake in the province.

Comparing North Dakota and Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan's population is roughly one-third larger than North Dakota's but has faired much more favourably in terms of total COVID-19 cases and deaths.

North Dakota has had more than two-and-a-half times the cases and more than three times the total deaths.

North Dakota has 762,000 people, compared to 1.1 million in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan's highest daily number of cases is 412 and the most people ever in hospital at once was 238.

North Dakota has had 106,000 cases of COVID-19 and 1,510 deaths. 

Saskatchewan has a total of 38,651 cases and 465 deaths.