SHA changing COVID-19 exposure alerts to only when self-isolation required

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is changing the way it issues COVID-19 exposure alerts.

In a release, it says it will no longer be issuing self-monitoring COVID-19 announcements beginning Nov. 14.

The SHA says it will only issue alerts when self-isolation is immediately required.

Up until now, the SHA had been issuing alerts that notified the public of businesses where there was a potential for COVID-19 exposures.

The release says COVID-19 is everywhere in Saskatchewan and medical health officers are asking all Saskatchewan residents to self-monitor for COVID symptoms.

The SHA says these alerts will be issued based on the clinical discretion of the local medical health officer and occur when the following three key criteria are met: all contacts cannot be notified within 48 hours, there is a resulting increased risk to the public, and the direction is needed for public members in attendance to immediately self-isolate as a result of this increased risk.

It also says reasonable effort will be made to notify businesses and locations in advance that they will be named in the PSAs, but says that may not always be possible.