SHA to begin COVID vaccinations in schools in June

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is going to school … to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations.

In a media release Tuesday, the provincial government said the SHA will be giving shots to students in June — but exact dates remain up in the air.

The SHA and local education officials will finalize the dates and then communicate them to parents through individual schools.

Derek Miller, the SHA’s executive director of infrastructure management, said during a media conference Tuesday high schools are being prioritized, but all schools will be involved before the three-week campaign is finished.

“We won’t see that we’ll get everybody done on one day or a couple of days,” Miller said. “It’ll be sequenced in each of the areas based on the resources that are available and that allow us to complete all of the schools before the school year is out.”

Miller said students will have to wait a minimum of 21 days for their second doses, so the SHA expects those to begin in July and August after older people get their second doses.

The authority will keep an eye on the situation to see if a school-based program is required in the fall for second doses.

As for the first doses, more than 90,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be made available for kids 12 and older. Children in that age group can only receive the Pfizer brand since it’s the only one currently approved for those under 18.

“Plans are going to vary by city and town as well as by schools,” Miller said. “We are planning on conducting this over a time period of about three weeks starting at the start of June.

“We intend to operate in the school Monday to Friday during the normal school week and during this time, we will be shifting the SHA part of the (vaccination) campaign to focus more on operating our other services like drive-thrus and walk-ins to Fridays through Sundays.”

Not only will the SHA be reducing the use of the drive-thru and walk-in clinics during the school-based program, but booked appointments also will be transferred to pharmacies that are doing COVID vaccinations.

SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said that move will increase the number of booked appointments to a level the authority wasn’t able to match.

Written consent for a vaccination will be required for everyone aged 12 to 17, in case a child receives one dose at school and one elsewhere. One consent form will cover both doses.

Those aged 13 and over legally don’t need their parents’ consent, but Livingstone said he hoped families would address the situation together to help students be comfortable with the idea.

There also are options available for students who are home-schooled, for those who wish to get immunized sooner or if parents want to accompany their child to their appointment.

“I should note that you don’t have to wait for the vaccine clinic to come to your school,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said during the media conference.

“As of (Tuesday), everyone 16 and older is eligible to receive their vaccine and this Thursday, everyone 12 and over becomes eligible. So if you don’t want to wait for your vaccine clinic in your school, you can get your shot at your pharmacy, walk-in clinic or drive-through clinic right away.”

When a student becomes eligible, bookings also can be made online or by calling 1-833-727-5829.