The Saskatchewan government is again lowering the age criteria for people looking to get an appointment for their first COVID-19 vaccine dose.

As of Friday at 8 a.m. CST, any willing and able resident aged 55 and over will be eligible to book a shot.

Currently, only people aged 58 and older can do so.

Eligible residents can book their appointment online at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-vaccine, or by phone at 1-833-SASKVAX.

The province reported 205 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, based on 3,151 tests, as well as two more related deaths.

The new cases were reported in the following regions, with Regina again leading the pack: far northwest (four), far north central (one), far northeast (four), northwest (three), north central (four), northeast (five), Saskatoon (32), central west (one), central east (nine), Regina (91), southwest (six), south central (21), and southeast (23).

One person who died was in their 70s and from the southeast region. The other was aged 80 or over and from the Saskatoon area.

Saskatchewan has identified 2,948 variants of concern through sequencing to date, the bulk of which have been in Regina: far northwest (two), far northeast (four), northwest (six), north central (21), Saskatoon (189), central west (12), central east (64), Regina (2,107), southwest (18), south central (260), and southeast (246). There are 19 cases with residence information pending.

Variant cases continue to rise in Regina. Another 21 were recorded there from Wednesday to Thursday.

Two hundred and six people are in hospital in the province due to COVID-19, including 41 people under intensive care.

The province's seven-day average of new cases stands at 226, or 18.5 new cases per 100,000 people.