Premier Scott Moe says the Saskatchewan government is “actively reviewing” the age restrictions for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
In a tweet Monday, Moe said the government was looking at lowering the eligibility from 55 and over to 40 and over.
To ensure more SK residents have access to a COVID vaccine as quickly as possible, Saskatchewan is actively reviewing lowering the eligibility age for the AstraZeneca vaccine to residents aged 40+ following Health Canada guidance and similar decisions by Alberta and Ontario [2/2]
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) April 19, 2021
Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario already have made that decision.
Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu on Sunday reminded the provinces that Health Canada had approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for anyone over the age of 18. However, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization had recommended that vaccine only be given to those 55 and over due to the remote possibility of blood clots.
Saskatchewan had been following the NACI recommendation and was giving the AstraZeneca vaccine only to those 55 and older at its drive-through clinics. To get younger people vaccinated, it moved Pfizer into its drive-through and walk-in clinics and start inoculating those between the ages of 48 and 54.
The drive-through clinics in Regina (where the eligible age group was between 46 and 54), Saskatoon and Swift Current have closed temporarily after exhausting their supply of vaccines.