“Is it my place to provide hope and to provide opportunity and to provide some targets for the people of the province to work towards [between] now and December 25? I think it is,” Premier Moe said in response to criticism that he is giving false hope to Saskatchewanians. As of December 2, 2020, Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 case rate is the third highest in the country falling behind Manitoba and Alberta, and today again the number of new cases in the province topped the two hundred mark and two more deaths were reported. Over the past seven days, 16 more people have died from COVID-19 bringing the total deaths now to 53. The latest restrictions that came into effect on November 27 have not had time to show results yet other than that the numbers of contacts people are reporting to case investigators has decreased somewhat.
Health Minister Paul Merriman announced during the December 2 update that drive-thru testing is now available in Prince Albert at the Cone Shop Car Wash, located at 890 6th Avenue East from 8:30 am to 4 pm daily. Drive-thru testing sites do not require a referral from HealthLine 811 or a physician or nurse practitioner, but anyone getting tested needs to bring a valid health card and individuals under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All drive-thru testing sites are first come, first served so there could be a wait time and although the drive-thru sites are located outdoors, masks are still required. Merriman echoed Premier Moe’s analogy of the race we are running against COVID-19 as a marathon saying the finish line will be reached when there is a safe and effective vaccine and a significant number of Saskatchewan residents have been vaccinated. However, there will not be any mandatory vaccinations, it will be up to people to decide for themselves in the same way they decide whether or not to get any other vaccination. While none of the vaccine candidates have yet been approved by Health Canada, the SHA and Dr Shahab reassure that the rollout protocol used for the H1N1 vaccine will once again be used to ensure that anyone in the province who wishes to receive the vaccination, receives it in a timely fashion.
During the slide presentation Dr. Shahab didn’t spend a significant amount of time discussing the data reflected in the charts and graphs. To look at, the modelling projections are a confusing blend of colours with not enough information for the lay person to easily decipher what they are attempting to relay. One graph was clear however and that one strove to show that the impact of Public Health Orders depends on their timing and strength. Despite the title, it was the information contained in the information boxes underneath the graph that relayed some very important information. As of November 1 (indicated on the graph by the purple star below MB2) the Manitoba government began locking down the province starting with Winnipeg, then eleven days later the entire province (MB3) and it was at that point that the trajectory of transmissions began to plateau. Switching focus to the green line on the graph we can see that the green star identified as SK4 (Saskatchewan November 27th) is virtually in the same position as MB2 – Manitoba November 1st. The hospital statistics (MB: 120 in hospital & 18 ICU November 1; SK: 123 in hospital & 23 ICU November 30th) are also a close mirror of one another, just four weeks in time apart. The similarities between the two pandemic paths should not be ignored. Our province is following in the footsteps of our neighbour to the east and yet hoping that it can find a different destination ahead. Although Dr. Shahab may not have said the words the evidence is clear, unless there is a fundamental change in peoples behaviour immediately, by Christmas we could easily have nearly three times as many patients receiving in-hospital care and roughly double the number of COVID-19 patients in ICU’s across the province. So, while Premier Moe may feel that he is giving hope to the people of the province and a goal to work towards, that’s probably a carrot that should have been dangled at least three weeks ago.
