Sask. to follow federal vaccine advisory body's guidance, more doses in fall program

Saskatchewan said Thursday that it will incorporate the guidance from a national vaccine advisory body — which recommends additional doses for vulnerable populations including those aged 65 and older — into its fall vaccination program.

On Wednesday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released its recommendations for the fall vaccination program, including a strong recommendation for another dose to people at a higher risk of severe illness.

Those people include:

• People 65 and older.

• Residents of long-term care facilities or congregate living settings for seniors.

• People 12 and older with an underlying medical condition that places them at high risk of severe COVID-19.

• Adults in or from First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities, where infection can have disproportionate consequences.

• Adults in racialized communities and/or marginalized communities (e.g. people living with disabilities) disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

• Residents of other congregate living settings (e.g., quarters for migrant workers, shelters, correctional facilities, group homes) who are 12 and older.

"NACI recommends that all other individuals 12 to 64 years of age may be offered a fall COVID-19 booster dose regardless of the number of booster doses previously received," the NACI document says.

The province said in its weekly COVID-19 update on Thursday that details for Saskatchewan will be announced when they are finalized.

Saskatchewan's gave its last weekly COVID-19 data update Thursday. It will now transition to monthly updates.

The next update will be a three-week report on July 21, followed by the first monthly update on Aug. 18.

The latest update, which covers June 19 to 25, included three newly reported deaths, two during that week and one immediately prior on June 18.

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped to 119 on Wednesday, 38 less than a week prior.

There is also one fewer person in intensive care than in the previous week's update.