COVID vaccine arrives in Saskatoon; health-care workers get first doses

A week to the day after the first COVID vaccines were administered to health-care workers in Regina, it is now Saskatoon’s turn.

On Tuesday afternoon, three health-care workers received the vaccine in Saskatoon. They include Karen Schmid, a Respiratory Therapist and Kathy Pickerl, a registered nurse, who works in the St. Paul’s Hospital ICU.

Dr. Hassan Masri, an Intensive Care Specialist, also received the vaccination Tuesday.

Today’s vaccinations mark the beginning of the immunization of 1,950 Saskatoon health-care workers as the province moved into the early stages of Phase 1 of the Vaccine Delivery Plan.

In a release, the province said the other immunizations will include staff from ICUs, Emergency Departments, COVID units, testing and assessment centres.

The focus of the initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be on health-care workers who can travel to the vaccination site, because of the restrictions on moving the vaccine. The immunization will take several days to complete according to the Ministry of Health release.

“As an ICU physician I’ve been at the frontline of this pandemic since the beginning,” said Masri.“I’ve seen the impact this disease has on patients, families, health care workers, and our communities.  This vaccine gives us hope.  It lets us know that the end to this fight may be in sight.  We can’t stop following the guidelines – hand washing, wearing our masks, social distancing, closing our bubbles – but we can start thinking about life after COVID-19.”

Phase 2 of the delivery plan is tentatively expected to start in April and will include the beginning of the immunization of the general population.