Public Health Measures Amended for Indoor Gathering Sizes
With Saskatchewan generally experiencing a declining trend in confirmed cases and hospitalizations, the public health order is being amended to ensure that residents who continue to observe all public health measures can extend their household ‘bubbles’.
Effective Tuesday, March 9, individual households may create a ‘bubble’ up to a maximum of ten individuals in a home at any one time.
- The ten individuals should be from two to three consistent households. The total number in the gathering cannot be more than ten.
- You must be consistent in your household bubble: the bubble of ten is always the same individuals, from the same households. You may not join multiple bubbles.
- Assess the overall risk of COVID-19 before joining households. Does this household have a senior at elevated risk? Children attending school? Adults working outside of the home in essential workplaces? Can you still count all the potential contacts that household makes, in the event that a contact investigation must be done? If the risk of potential transmission remains high, consider another household or remaining within your household.
- If you are 50 years old or greater, consider keeping your contacts to your household only until you are able to be vaccinated.
You must still follow all public health guidelines when outside the home – including the limit of ten people at outdoor gatherings – and plan to be vaccinated when you are eligible. Details on the current public health measures are available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-measures.
Effective March 19, Worship Services to Expand Safely
Starting March 19, Re-Open Saskatchewan guidelines for worship services will be permitted up to 30 per cent of capacity or 150 attendees, whichever is the lesser. All existing public health guidance remains in effect.
- Attendees must maintain two metres of physical distancing unless they are part of the same household group.
- All masking protocols remain in place. All attendees and choirs/performers must be masked throughout the service. Only clergy may remove their mask while officiating but must maintain three metres physical distance from all other attendees while mask is removed.
- No food or drink may be served.
- These guidelines do not apply to receptions or non-ceremonial gatherings.
Worship service guidelines are available at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/re-open-saskatchewan-plan/guidelines/places-of-worship-guidelines.
RRPL Completes Initial Variant Survey
The Roy Romanow Provincial Lab (RRPL) has completed an initial survey of positive COVID-19 cases of individuals that initially tested positive during the period of January 26 to February 27.
The confirmation of 44 variant of concern cases present over the span of two months is an indication that variants of concern, particularly B.1.1.7 initially detected in the UK, are present in Saskatchewan and community transmission has been occurring over the last two months.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the variants confirmed during the RRPL’s initial two-month variant survey of positive COVID-19 cases:
Confirmed Variant of Concern Cases, as of March 9, 2021
Type Number Location
B1.1.7 UK 36 Regina zone
1 North West zone
1 Saskatoon zone
B1.351 SA 5 North Central zone
1 South Central
Note that, as public health investigations proceed, variant of concern case locations may change due as residence locations are confirmed.
The best protection against all COVID-19 variants remains the same as protection against COVID-19: stay home, physically distance, wash your hands frequently, wear a mask and get tested if you are experiencing even mild symptoms.
Find testing options near you at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/testing-information.
