Health minister plugs vaccines ahead of winter months

Winter is on the way and the Saskatchewan government is reminding people to top up their COVID-19 vaccines to stay healthy as they head indoors.

While Health Minister Paul Merriman said it’s “a little too early” to know what the uptake is on boosters right now, he said some populations in the province have been dedicated to getting their shots.

“We’ve seen a huge uptake within our seniors,” he said.

Merriman said numbers will be coming on how many boosters have been administered in Saskatchewan and encouraged people to be diligent about their health by going out and getting their vaccinations.

The colder temperatures are a good reason to book an appointment or walk in for a shot, Merriman said.

“We are getting into the season where we did see some challenges last year,” the health minister explained, though he said the province is in a much better position than it was last fall.

“The more layers of protection you can have as far as your updated vaccine, the better off you’re going to be.”

Merriman added that campaigns endorsing vaccinations are still going full throttle on social media and through the mainstream media.

In Saskatchewan, anyone aged five and older is able to get their third vaccine dose and anyone over the age of 12 can get their fourth.

As of Monday, both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent booster shots were available in the province.