Province Warns Of COVID - 19 Variants In Regina
With the Province easing the COVID - 19 restrictions they still advise those in Regina to be extra vigilant due to variants of the virus.
The Province has stated there are currently 70 confirmed cases involving Variants Of Concern in the province. There are 64 B1.1.7 United Kingdom and six B1.351 SA confrimed in Saskatchewan. Plus there are 77 unconfirmed cases of Variants of Concern in Regina yet to be confirmed by genome sequencing.
The reason why there are elevated concerns about these strains of the virus as they are mutations of the original virus which are faster spreading than the original virus. Viruses naturally mutate to adapt to their hosts and the initial coronavirus which jumped from an animal to a human host has been adapting to better infect (more communicable in) humans.
There are currently 70 confirmed cases of VoCs (64 B1.1.7 UK and 6 B1.351 SA) in Saskatchewan with 62 of those in the Regina area. There are also an additional 77 presumptive positive Variants of Concern in Regina. These have not yet been confirmed with genome sequencing.
For residents of Moose Jaw and area who travel to the Queen City they should be aware the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has issued enhanced recommendations for Regina.
At this time the SHA recommends that Regina and area residents:
Particularly those that are over the age of 50 should consider not increasing their household bubbles to include 2-3 households up to 10 people. They should consider remaining with their current household only.
Limit travel and shopping to essential only.
Stay home with even mildest symptoms. Stay home if you have been in contact with anyone with mild symptoms.
Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with symptoms.
Continue practicing physical distancing, frequent handwashing and wear a mask when in public places.
The SHA will be monitoring the spread of VOCs over the next few days to determine if additional measures (restrictions) are required to prevent the community spread.
DRIVE-IN CLINIC
Additionally the SHA is set to open its first drive-in COVID - 19 vaccination clinic.
Commencing this Sunday from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm at the Regina Exhibition Grounds a drive-thru clinic will be available to health care workers and on Monday from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm there will be a drive -thru clinic for those 64 years of age.
The drive-in clinic will be using 15,500 doses of the AstraZenca vaccine.
The vaccinations are on a first come, first served basis until the supply is exhausted.
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