Here are the highlights from the daily COVID-19 news conference in Regina with Premier Scott Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
It was a sombre report a new case is provided on Monday, as the problems reported for new cases of COVID-19 as well as two more deaths bringing the overall number of deaths to 13. On a more positive note just 17 active cases remain in Saskatchewan on Monday as the province begins phase 3 of Re-Open Saskatchewan, with the reopening of restaurants bars gyms and remaining personal services.
“Many that have been unable to work over the last number of weeks are now able to do so,” said Premier Moe. Places of worship can also open with maximums of 30 people as part of phase 3.
Premier Moe also spoke on the potential for grade 12 ceremonies. He said it was their view graduation ceremonies can and should occur, but in “very innovative ways.” He said those events, which could include in-person events should respect all public health orders already in place. He encouraged students and parents to work with their school divisions to make those events possible.
It was also noted the province is down to six active cases in the far north and remaining restrictions are being lifted effective Monday.
Dates have also been announced for the re-opening of 8 of 12 rural ERs: Kerrobert June 12, Arcola and Leader June 16, Preeceville June 18, Biggar and Oxbow June 22, Davidson June 24, and Herbert June 25. Moe said they are working to ensure the remaining ERs open as quickly as possible; the other four have additional staffing issues unrelated to COVID-19.
Premier Moe also indicated we can expect to hear more later this week about the resumption of elective surgeries and the fall school year.
Dr. Saqib Shahab also provided some data about where they stood with the COVID-19 outbreak and noted the reproductive number for the virus now stands at .64 in the province, well below the 1 number that health officials look at. That includes both the North at .76 and south at .63.
That is well below the numbers in the first week of April, where the reproductive number in the province was 2 and in the North was 3.3. The province was “effectively in exponential growth” of the virus at that time, said Dr. Shahab.
He noted that early in the pandemic cases were doubling every two to three days, and the trajectory at the time was “very concerning”. But by the end of April the case doubling had gone down to 29 days. As of May 24 it was now 35 days.
“We are now in a very safe place in terms of the effective reproductive number,” said Dr. Shahab. “These were hard won gains and it’s important that we retain them.”
Dr. Shahab also said that while “we were very keen” to move ahead safely, “we have to remember that what we have gone through is in the recent past”.
