COVID-19 in Sask.: 2nd dose available to some beginning Monday

Starting Monday, second doses of the vaccine will be available to those 85 and older andthose whose first dose was before Feb. 15.

You may book that appointment at a pharmacy, go to a drive-thru or walk-in clinic(including those run by Indigenous Services Canada and the Northern Inter-tribal Health Authority)on Monday.

The online booking system for these doses won't be up and running until Tuesday.

"During your second dose appointment, the clinic or pharmacy will validate the timing and brand of your first dose to ensure you are receiving your second dose within the recommended timeframe," the province's Saturday news release reads.

"The type of vaccine available at each location will be advertised to ensure that you are receiving the same vaccine brand for your second dose."

The province added that for now, people will get a matching second dose to the brand of their first dose.

"National reviews of the safety and efficacy of interchanging the second dose brand are ongoing and the provincial policy on maintaining the same brand for the second dose may be updated following this review," the news release reads, in part.

By the numbers

There are 196 new known cases of COVID-19 to report Saturday. There is also one new death to report. A person in their 80s died in the Regina zone.

This brings the active case total in Saskatchewan to2,072.

There are 144 people in hospital, with 26 people in intensive care.

Here's where the new cases are:

• Far Northwest, three.
• Far Northeast, four.
• Northwest, 19.
• North Central, 21.
• Northeast, two.
• Saskatoon, 67.
• Central West, three.
• Central East, 20.
• Regina, 26.
• Southwest, nine.
• South Central, five.
• Southeast, 13.

Four new cases are pending residence information.Four cases with pending residence information were assigned to the following zones: North Central, three; and Southeast, one.One case previously not reported was added to North East zone.

For vaccines, a total of571,957 doses have been administered. The system is taking bookings for people 23 and up at the moment. Around 55 per cent of people 18 and up have received their first dose.