The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) is calling on the public to stay vigilant around COVID-19 protocols, despite optimistic news about a vaccine.
A limited shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is set to arrive in Saskatchewan on Tuesday, with Regina health care workers set to get their shots first.
Health officials revealed the province's phase-in vaccine plan on Wednesday.
Tracy Zambory, president of SUN, said the plan is well-thought-out and a step in the right direction.
“But with that optimism, we have to keep our feet grounded,” Zambory told CTV News.
Zambory urged people not to relax around public health orders in the wake of the vaccine arrival.
“I’ve seen vaccination programs roll out, and that rolling out takes a long time,” she said.
“We’re going to be seeing ourselves still having to follow all the public health orders well into 2021.”
Saskatchewan’s general public can start lining up for their shots in the spring, according to the province.
Zambory is calling on the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to focus on opening vaccination clinics in rural communities, so people don’t have to travel.
SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said the plan is to have the vaccine delivered at vaccination centres or health clinics across the province.
“The goal is for all residents in Saskatchewan to receive the vaccine where they live or where they work, similar to how we try to deliver our flu vaccine,” Livingstone told reporters on Wednesday.
Livingstone said the vaccine timeline could change, depending on manufacturers.
