Premier Scott Moe speaks to the media after touring a mass COVID-19 immunization clinic, at the International Trade Centre, in Regina, on Feb. 18, 2021.Michael Bell/The Canadian Press
Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman says seniors 85 years old and older will be able to book COVID-19 vaccinations on the phone or online starting Thursday.
Merriman says bookings can be made by someone else on a senior’s behalf.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority says the new network will allow for 6,000 bookings a day, but only for first shots.
Merriman says he expects demand for vaccine to exceed supply and is asking anyone younger than 85 not to try to book an appointment to avoid overwhelming the website or phone lines.
“Please don’t test the system,” he said during a briefing Wednesday.
Canada pre-purchased millions of doses of seven different vaccine types, and Health Canada has approved four so far for the various provincial and territorial rollouts. All the drugs are fully effective in preventing serious illness and death, though some may do more than others to stop any symptomatic illness at all (which is where the efficacy rates cited below come in).
- Also known as: Comirnaty
- Approved on: Dec. 9, 2020
- Efficacy rate: 95 per cent with both doses in patients 16 and older, and 100 per cent in 12- to 15-year-olds
- Traits: Must be stored at -70 C, requiring specialized ultracold freezers. It is a new type of mRNA-based vaccine that gives the body a sample of the virus’s DNA to teach immune systems how to fight it. Health Canada has authorized it for use in people as young as 12.
- Also known as: SpikeVax
- Approved on: Dec. 23, 2020
- Efficacy rate: 94 per cent with both doses in patients 18 and older, and 100 per cent in 12- to 17-year-olds
- Traits: Like Pfizer’s vaccine, this one is mRNA-based, but it can be stored at -20 C. It’s approved for use in Canada for ages 12 and up.
- Also known as: Vaxzevria
- Approved on: Feb. 26, 2021
- Efficacy rate: 62 per cent two weeks after the second dose
- Traits: This comes in two versions approved for Canadian use, the kind made in Europe and the same drug made by a different process in India (where it is called Covishield). The National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s latest guidance is that its okay for people 30 and older to get it if they can’t or don’t want to wait for an mRNA vaccine, but to guard against the risk of a rare blood-clotting disorder, all provinces have stopped giving first doses of AstraZeneca.
- Also known as: Janssen
- Approved on: March 5, 2021
- Efficacy rate: 66 per cent two weeks after the single dose
- Traits: Unlike the other vaccines, this one comes in a single injection. NACI says it should be offered to Canadians 30 and older, but Health Canada paused distribution of the drug for now as it investigates inspection concerns at a Maryland facility where the active ingredient was made.
How many vaccine doses do I get?
All vaccines except Johnson & Johnson’s require two doses, though even for double-dose drugs, research suggests the first shots may give fairly strong protection. This has led health agencies to focus on getting first shots to as many people as possible, then delaying boosters by up to four months. To see how many doses your province or territory has administered so far, check our vaccine tracker for the latest numbers.
Residents will be provided with both a paper and electronic record of their vaccination.
Merriman said the government isn’t looking at making shots mandatory and hasn’t discussed whether certificates could be needed to attend events such as football games or concerts in the future.
The health authority said it will phase out the current approach of calling residents to get a shot in favour of self-booking.
About 94,000 shots have been given to date and the province has said every adult will be able to get a first shot by June.
Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said there are likely to be a few wrinkles with self-bookings at first.
Vaccine uptake will be tracked and the government will launch an advertising campaign to encourage people to get their shot, he added.
So far, there have been fewer COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities, which Livingstone attributes to residents and staff getting vaccinated.
“The race is on,” he said.
People 70 and older are currently eligible for a shot, but officials say some who are between the ages of 60 to 64 and living in Regina will soon have access to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Saskatchewan recently lifted its ban on household visits and plans to expand capacity for worship services next week. Premier Scott Moe has said the moves are partly because there is more vaccine available to protect older residents.
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