Released on December 28, 2021
With increasing vaccination rates, Saskatchewan continues to see overall COVID-19 hospitalization rates fall. As of December 28, 80 individuals are hospitalized due to COVID-19 including 64 inpatient hospitalizations and 16 ICU hospitalizations. At this time, there are no cases of omicron requiring hospitalization in Saskatchewan.
One month ago on November 28, 129 individuals were hospitalized including 93 inpatient hospitalizations and 36 ICU hospitalizations in Saskatchewan with five patients receiving in-hospital care in Ontario.
As of today, 83 per cent of residents five years and up have received their first COVID-19 vaccination and 76 per cent of residents five years and up are fully vaccinated with 277,705 booster/third doses now administered in Saskatchewan. This compares to November 28 when Saskatchewan had 79 per cent of residents five years and up having received one dose, 74 per cent of residents being fully vaccinated with 89,965 booster/third doses administered as of the provincial report on November 30.
Increasing vaccination rates, including booster/third doses will continue to reduce the number of residents who become seriously ill with COVID-19. COVID-19 case trends as well as hospitalizations continue to be monitored by public health officials and any additional public health measures will be considered within that context.
Prevent Omicron Transmission
Omicron is present throughout Saskatchewan and all residents should take all available measures to protect themselves and prevent further transmission.
Of the total 824 cases screening positive for Omicron including 55 pending location information, nearly 40 per cent are in the Saskatoon zone, 27 per cent are in the Regina zone, and the remaining 33 per cent have been confirmed across the remaining zones, with each zone having at least one omicron case except Far North Central.
"Layering" preventative measures will reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission:
- Get fully vaccinated and receive your booster/third dose as soon as you are eligible
- Wear the best mask possible whenever you are outside your home
- Use rapid tests for asymptomatic screening and seek a PCR test immediately if you have symptoms
- Limit your contacts and any non-essential travel
- Socializing outdoors is better than indoors and take steps to improve indoor ventilation
- Stay home if you are sick
Omicron symptoms are presenting more cold-like than previous COVID-19 variants: runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and fatigue. Do not assume your symptoms are the common cold. If you find yourself with any cold or flu-like symptoms, self-isolate at home and use the COVID-19 testing options available to you.
Get Vaccinated for the New Year
All residents 18 years and older are now eligible to receive a vaccination booster/third dose at least three months following their second dose of a two-dose vaccination series. To date, Saskatchewan has administered more than 277,705 booster/third doses.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) continues to offer vaccinations over the holiday period; however, hours may be subject to change. Check the website for the latest information on clinic availability at COVID-19 Vaccine Walk-in Clinic information.
Pharmacies throughout Saskatchewan are also offering COVID-19 vaccinations including booster/third doses. As of December 18, Saskatchewan pharmacies have administered more than 500,000 vaccinations throughout the immunization campaign. Find a pharmacy providing COVID-19 vaccinations near you.
Update your QR code after that booster dose
Booster dose information will be included in your MySaskHealthRecord vaccine certificate; however, if you generated your COVID-19 vaccination record QR code following your second dose of vaccine, you will be required to regenerate a new QR code after your booster dose if you wish it to show you have received the booster.
Once generated, QR codes are static and need to be updated when your vaccination status changes. You can access your MySaskHealthRecord account and generate a new QR code after receiving any COVID-19 vaccine, to ensure your record is up-to-date.
Remember that parents and guardians are able to access their child's immunization record through MySaskHealthRecord if that child is 13 years or younger. The parents or guardian must have an account themselves, and the child's information can then be linked. More information is available at MySaskHealthRecord.
The SK Vax Wallet app has been downloaded more than 474,000 times since the app was introduced.
COVID Reporting over Holidays
The COVID-19 website and dashboard will not be updated on the New Year's weekend and government statutory holiday, January 1 to January 3 inclusive. The website and dashboard will resume with total accumulated numbers and breakdown of cases by day on January 4, 2022.
Saskatchewan is currently the only province other than Ontario that provides comprehensive COVID data updates seven days a week. All other provinces and territories do not report COVID updates on weekends.
Public Health Orders Will Be Enforced
Not yet publicly reported, the week of December 6, SHA public health inspectors issued three tickets of $2,800 each for failure to mask to individuals in Lloydminster and the surrounding area.
Note that under The Health Information and Privacy Act, the Ministry of Health cannot disclose the names of individuals who have received fines.
COVID-19 Summary for December 28, 2021:
- From December 22 - 26, 3,893 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Saskatchewan, bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the province to 1,795,682. An additional 13,670 third and fourth doses have been administered in the province from December 23-26 and thirty per cent of eligible residents age 18+ have received their booster dose.
- As of December 28, 88 per cent of residents 12 years and older and 83 per cent of residents five years older have received their first dose. Eighty-three per cent of residents 12 years and older and 76 per cent of residents five years and older are fully vaccinated.
- There were 1,195 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan from December 22 - 28, bringing the provincial total to 83,558 cases. There were 348 recoveries recorded during the same period.
- The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan is currently 174 (14.4 per 100,000).
- Four new deaths were reported December 22 - 28.
- There were 356 new lineage results reported for December 22 - 28.
- As of December 28, there are 80 people in hospital: 64 are receiving inpatient care and 16 are in intensive care. Forty-seven of the people in hospital (58.8 per cent) are not fully vaccinated.
- Since October 25, 28 monoclonal antibody infusion treatments have been delivered.
- From December 22 - 28, there were 11,397 COVID-19 tests processed in Saskatchewan.
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For more information, contact:
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca