Early vaccine delivery on its way to Saskatchewan

The province is expecting another big shipment of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week, kicking off the official first phase of Saskatchewan’s vaccination rollout plan.

The first phase initially wasn’t to begin until late December. Now it’s expected to begin when the doses arrive next week.

In a media release Thursday, the government outlined the next delivery of the vaccine, which could arrive as early as Monday.

This shipment will be used to vaccinate 1,950 health-care workers in Saskatoon hospitals. Staff in intensive care units, emergency departments, COVID units, and testing and assessment centres will receive their initial dose at Merlis Belsher Place at the University of Saskatchewan. Recipients will receive their second dose three to four weeks later.

“Saskatchewan has been ready to receive and waiting to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine, as I said last week,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in the release. “So it was welcome news when we learned that the first shipment would arrive before the holidays.

“I consider this the best gift to see more health-care workers in our province being immunized, and look forward to delivering it to more of the people at highest risk.”

The province’s vaccine rollout is comprised of two phases. The first phase focuses on immunizing priority populations at a higher risk of exposure to the virus, as well as those more at risk of serious illness.

The government is targeting health-care workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities, those in the 80-and-over age range, residents over 50 in northern and remote areas and, depending on how much vaccine can be secured, those in the 70-to-79 age range.

Scott Livingstone, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said the authority is expecting the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be approved soon, which would be good news because it doesn’t have to be kept near as cold as the Pfizer vaccine.

“The Moderna vaccine can be stored (in a) regular-temperature freezer and will make it much easier for us to transport and use in smaller, rural locations across the province,” said Livingstone.

It would also allow the authority to start vaccinating residents in long-term care homes.

Doses of the Moderna vaccine could come as early as the end of December.

The media release also outlined an expansion in the pilot program that began Tuesday evening with the first vaccines given in the province.

The pilot was initially planned to include 1,950 health-care workers in Regina; it will now also include Saskatchewan Cancer Agency staff, emergency medical services (EMS) workers, and anesthetists. Other groups may also be considered, depending on how the rollout continues.

“These additional groups have been identified given they are also at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, and because of their work with at-risk patients,” Livingstone said in the release. “Of course, our supplies are limited, so we will look to continue providing additional doses to these groups as more vaccine is received.”

Since Tuesday, 250 people have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. There are 301 people booked to receive the vaccine Thursday.

The pilot is already proving useful, as Dr. Tania Diener outlined Wednesday, helping the province better plan the transport, storing, and distribution of the vaccine.

The province continues to stress that residents should be following public health orders and other measures aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. The general population won’t have access to the vaccine until the second phase of the vaccine delivery plan, which is expected to begin in April.