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Saskatchewan residents have been receiving more second doses of COVID-19 vaccines than first shots over the past two weeks.
On Friday, the provincial government announced it was speeding up its second-dose strategy even more.
“By June 24, every eligible Saskatchewan resident age 12 and older will be able to receive their second vaccine shot, depending on the length of time that has passed since their first shot,” the government said in a media release.
As of Friday, people 55 and over and those who had received their first dose on or before April 7 were eligible to get a second shot.
In the government’s initial second-dose plan, the eligibility would have dropped June 21 for those 45 and over and those who had got their first jab on or before April 15.
From then on, the eligibility would have changed based on the date of the first vaccination, with the last group slated to be eligible July 26.
Now, however, the next group — everyone 50 and over and those who got their first shot on or before April 15 — is to become eligible starting Monday.
Eligibility will continue to expand until everyone 12 and over will be able to get a second shot starting June 24, more than a month ahead of the initial schedule.
On Friday, the Ministry of Health reported 15,212 vaccinations had been done in the province in the latest reporting period. That included 11,585 second shots — the 12th day in a row that second doses exceeded first shots.
The 3,627 first doses done included 1,457 in the 12-to-17 age group, 823 in the 18-to-27 range and 484 in the 30-to-39 age group. Those are the three age groups with the lowest uptake of first shots to date.
The province said it was making the change to the second-dose strategy due to incoming shipments of Moderna vaccine — 89,880 doses next week and 130,620 the following week.
Starting Monday, second doses will be available in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District to all residents aged 18 and over, based on the recommended interval from their first dose. That’s 28 days after the first dose for Moderna and 21 days for Pfizer.
“Residents may receive their second doses up to four months following their first dose but it’s highly recommended that you receive your second dose as soon as you are eligible,” the government said.
The province said some first doses of AstraZeneca have been administered since May 5 to people who can’t get mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna. In those cases, people will receive their second AstraZeneca doses based on the currently recommended interval between shots.
Health officials have said the optimum interval between AstraZeneca doses is 12 weeks.
