Thread by @AHiddyCBC

Sask. announces plan to provide booster doses to eligible populations.

It is also requiring proof of vaccine for health care workers or a negative test.

Details here:

saskatchewan.ca/government/new…

Premier Moe: nearly 800K 1 dose. 700K have 2.

"Far too many people are not fully vaccinated and that is what driving our fourth wave."

More 300K eligible not vaccinated.

"Getting vaccinated is a personal choice and it will remain a personal choice but it has impact on others."

Moe says province working with organizations and groups who want to require proof of vaccination.

Working on a QR code.

Moe says government moving forward on category 1 and 2 health care workers proof of vaccination requirement. Will work with employer groups.

Moe says govt. will be breaking down COVID data further to include vaccination status of hospital and ICU cases and their regions.

"the vast majority of serious outcomes" will be unvaccinated he says.

Moe says returning to public health measures would be "grossly unfair" to those who have been vaccinated.

This means no move to any mask or gathering mandates.

Boosters:
- LTC/personal care residents.
- Transplants recipients (solid organ, hematopoietic stem cell transplants).
Recipients of stable, active treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy) for malignant hematologic disorders.
Recipients of an anti-CD20 agent.

Dr. Shahab: "disheartening" for health care providers to see people unvaccinated in hospital.

He says seeing people in 30s, 40s, 50s are seeing serious outcomes because they are not being vaccinated.

Moe on masking says if you are more comfortable wearing a mask you are encouraged to. Will not be mandated.

B.C. and Manitoba both have mandated masks in indoor settings.

Moe says proof of vaccination or negative test are becoming more appropriate but is not moving to mandate that outside two categories of health care workers.

Moe: "We need to learn to live with COVID."

Moe says he disagrees that the government announcement today will not increase vaccine uptake which is rising by about 1 % per week and is lowest with Alberta among provinces.

Moe says govt. working collaboratively with organizations and biz and won't be "heavy-handed."

Govt. will provide the proof-of-vaccine, either the record you can print off or save on your phone or eventually a QR code.

It will not mandate any events, organizations, indoor public places to require vaccine proof.

Why the disconnect between what MHOs have asked for and what was announced today?

Shahab says govt. will work collaboratively and people in areas of province need to respond to COVID cases rising by taking precautions.

Moe says proposals may look good but need to be operable.

Q from @thinktankSK: why do you support proof of vaccine decision by Riders, universities but don't want to mandate one.

Phil says freedom of choice exists in these policies with a negative test.

Moe: plans take time, Riders not ready by the weekend. Doesn't address root of q.

Moe on vaccine mandate for health care workers. Collaborative approach.

Moe: "it's going to be increasingly challenging" for those unvaccinated to attend sporting events or if they work in front-line health care.

Moe says the practicality of proof of vaccine for retail for example is difficult because of staffing challenges.

He again says he expects many orgs, and events to require proof going forward.

Q from @Danthenewsman on what govt. is selling today re: vaccine uptake that they have not been doing for the last few weeks.

Moe on opp. call to have Paul Merriman removed as health minister.

He says Merriman working very hard with SHA, Dr. Shahab.

Says decisions about preserving healthcare capacity for everyone not just COVID patients.

He says govt. "doubling down" efforts to increase vaccinations.

Q from @zakvescera on what those who have policies of proof of vaccine can do without powers of enforcement. Zak says in B.C., biz can phone police for support.

Moe says "thankfully" this isn't British Columbia.

He says up to individual biz, orgs. to handle their policy.

That's it for the first formal COVID newser in about 60 days.

Sask. govt. supports those that enact proof of vaccine policies but not interested in govt. mandating them.

1 exception: category 1, 2 health care workers may soon need proof of vaccine or negative test to work.

Moe public health measures would be "grossly unfair" to those vaccinated.

Sask. has about 70% 12+ fully vaccinated (693K ish).

That's about 59% of the overall pop. (1.17M ish).

Both of those are lowest among provinces w/ Alberta.

About 340K not vaccinated who are eligible.