(Saskatchewan Health Authority/Submitted)

By CKOM News

Saskatchewan to expand booster eligibility to those 18+

Dec 16, 2021 | 11:21 AM

The Government of Saskatchewan is lowering the age of eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots to 18.

Starting Monday, everyone 18 and over can book an appointment to get a booster shot, provided three months have passed since their second dose.

The move comes nine days after the age was lowered to 50 and over, with a five-month interval from a person’s second shot.

“(The vaccine) is likely the most effective thing we can do in preparing for Omicron to be present in our communities, which it most assuredly will be in the weeks and months ahead,” Premier Scott Moe said during a media conference Thursday at the Legislative Building.

According to the provincial government, 38 per cent of eligible Saskatchewan residents have received boosters to date, with more than 159,649 shots given.

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Moe said vaccines are available at 241 locations in 140 communities, so people across the province can make appointments to get their first, second or third shots.

Residents also are being urged to pick up free rapid test kits where they’re available. More than eight million have been distributed in Saskatchewan to date, with another four million on the way.

“Testing is much more accessible in this province but it’s also normalized — and it needs to be more normalized in the weeks and months ahead,” Moe said.

“It is a very effective line of defence that we ultimately have. It’s a line of defence that is effective at slowing the spread of all COVID variants, in particular the Omicron variant that we are facing today and will be facing in the weeks ahead.”

The government also said Saskatchewan residents who plan to travel should follow local public health orders and testing procedures upon arrival and departure.

However, Moe’s government won’t be stopping anyone from travelling.

“At this point in time, there’s no provincial recommendations against international travel,” Moe said. “We feel strongly that we have some of the most robust protocols available in any country or any place in the world when it comes to not only international travel but also interprovincial travel.”