COVID vaccination booking system expands eligibility to include 80+ group

After just one day of operation, Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 vaccination booking system is expanding the eligibility of who can use it.

Starting Friday at 8 a.m., any resident of the province who’s 80 years of age or older can book an appointment.

The change comes in the wake of a successful launch Thursday, when people aged 85 and over were eligible to make a booking.

The system started operating at 8 a.m. and, as of 4 p.m., 4,351 appointments had been booked. Of those, 3,063 were made online and 1,288 were made over the phone.

According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the average wait time on the phone was just over two hours either on the line or for those waiting for a call-back.

The SHA said some of the calls it received “were from people who were ineligible, wanting to confirm their existing appointment, or those seeking general information for vaccine.”

The SHA reminded people that vaccinations currently are available only by appointment. Drop-in and mobile clinics, as well as vaccinations at participating pharmacies will be available in the future.

“Clinic availability is dependent on vaccine availability,” the SHA noted. “Additional clinics will be added as Saskatchewan receives more doses.”

As well, appointments for second doses aren’t available at present.

The online booking system can be found here. It’s accessible by computer, tablet or mobile device and is available 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Those who don’t have the technology to use the online system can make an appointment by calling 1-833-SASK-VAX (1-833-727-5829). The Vaccine Call Centre is to operate from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

“The pace of the vaccine deliveries to Saskatchewan will be picking up significantly in the coming weeks, but we still expect demand to exceed supply,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said during a media conference Wednesday.

“Appointments will fill up very quickly and we may run out of available appointments in some times in some locations. If that happens, again, we would ask for your patience. More appointments will be opened as soon as more vaccines are available.”