Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer is updating the public health order under The Public Health Act to further reduce the risk of potential COVID-19 transmission in the province. At the same time, Premier Scott Moe today signed an order pursuant to the provincial State of Emergency directing all orders of the government and chief medical health officer must be followed and law enforcement agencies in Saskatchewan have the full authority to enforce those orders.
Moe said he was particularly concerned that some individuals returning from international travel were not following the 14-day self-isolation policy.
“I know the vast majority of Saskatchewan people are taking their personal responsibility seriously and following this order,” Moe said. “But a few are not. This is not a suggestion. It is not a guideline. It is the law and it must be followed.”
In consultation with the Minister of Health, the following measures are effective immediately:
• Public gatherings of more than 25 people in one room are prohibited except where two-metre distancing between people can be maintained; workplace and meeting settings where people are distributed into multiple rooms or buildings; and retail locations (i.e. grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations).
• The closure of all nightclubs, bars, lounges and similar facilities. Take out of alcohol or food products so permitted with two-metre distancing between customers and the delivery of alcohol or food products.
• In-person classes in all primary and secondary educational institutions both public and private are suspended.
• Visitors to long-term care homes, hospitals, personal care homes, and group homes shall be restricted to family visiting for compassionate reasons.
Mandatory Self-Isolation
• Effective immediately, all persons who have travelled internationally shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from date of arrival back into Canada.
• Health Care workers who have traveled internationally, truckers, rail, airline or other working crews are exempt from this advisory only if they are required to work to maintain essential services, provide emergency health care services and maintain supply chain, and are supervised by Infection, Prevention Control Officers and/or Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace.
• All persons who have been identified by a medical health officer as a close contact of a person or persons with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of last having been exposed to COVID-19.
• All persons who have become symptomatic while on mandatory self-isolation shall call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
• All persons who are household members of a person having laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 shall immediately go into mandatory self-isolation, call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
Effective March 23, 2020
• The closure of restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafés, bistros and similar facilities. Exceptions are take out with two-metre distancing between customers during pick-up; drive through food services; delivery of food products; soup kitchens, not-for-profit community and religious kitchens with two-metre distancing between tables.
• The closure of all recreational and entertainment facilities including fitness centers, casinos, bingo halls, arenas, curling rinks, swimming pools, galleries, theatres, museums and similar facilities.
• The closure of all personal service facilities including tattooists, hairdressers, barbers, acupuncturists, acupressurists, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, manicurists, pedicurists, suntanning parlours, relaxation masseuses, facilities in which body piercing, bone grafting or scarification services.
• The closure of dental, optometrist, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and podiatry clinics except for non-elective procedures.
• All daycare facilities are limited to maximum of eight children unless they can configure the facility so that a maximum of eight children are kept in room and be in accordance with the Saskatchewan child care guidelines for care.
• All daycares that are co-located with a long-term care or personal care home that meet the above restriction shall be segregated with a private entrance so that there are no shared common areas with the home and no interaction between daycare children and residents of the facility.
COVID-19 Surveillance
As of March 20,Saskatchewan has six new, presumptive positive cases. The province now has 26 cases of COVID-19 – eight cases are confirmed and 18 cases are presumptive.
Twenty-four of the 26 cases are well enough to self-isolate at home at present; two individuals are currently in hospital, admitted for medical reasons not related to respiratory illness.
• An individual in their 20s was tested in Regina following travel to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
• An individual in their 20s was tested in Regina following travel in the U.S.
• An individual in their 50s was tested in Regina following travel to Jordan.
• Two individuals in their 60s were tested in Prince Albert following travel from Arizona.
• An individual in their 60s was tested in Regina.
Public health is actively compiling additional information on this case; additional detail is not yet available.
Public health officials are completing contact investigations on all cases.
COVID-19 Information
Online current information on self-isolation, personal protection measures and information for care providers is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19. Use the online symptom self assessment tool to determine if you should contact HealthLine 811.
Public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.