SHA Issues Special Alert For Moose Jaw

By Robert Thomas

It is something according to a CTV News report local public health officials were not calling for on Friday but less than 24 hours later the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has issued new recommendations for Moose Jaw because of the rapid rise of COVID - 19 Variants of Concern (VOC) in the community.

The recommendations call for people in Moose Jaw to take special precautions due to VOCs, precautions which notoriously paint the friendly city a major COVID - 19 site in the province. The recommendations mimic similar concerns raised eight days ago about Regina.

“The Saskatchewan Health Authority is encouraging all Moose Jaw area residents to take additional precautions in light of increasing community transmission of COVID-19 Variants of Concern (VoC) in the area,” a release on the SHA’s web-site reads.

The rise of Variants of Concern (VOC) or mutations of the coronavirus which causes COVID - 19 has provincial health authorities concerned as the new variants are more readily transmissible than the original virus. Over time all viruses mutate to better adapt to their hosts.

SOURCE - Province of Saskatchewan

SOURCE - Province of Saskatchewan

The SHA would like Moose Jaw and area residents to take special precautions including not to eat out at restaurants or bars, stay at home, no gyms, limit the number of people you are in close proximity to and restrict your contacts to your household only.

The SHA is making recommendations only and there is no formal partial lockdown as there is in Regina.

Moose Jaw area residents are strongly encouraged to do the following:

  • Only gather indoors with your immediate household. In particular, for those that are over the age of 50, you should consider NOT increasing your household bubbles to include 2-3 households up to 10 people.

  • Limit travel and shopping to essential only.

  • Opt for take-out and curbside pick-up.

  • 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 lists VOCs as being from 36 to 70 percent more transmissible than non-mutated COVID - 19.

CBC recently reported Ontario data shows the new VOCs arising are 60 percent more deadly than non-VOC COVID - 19.

The SHA lists older residents and those with underlying health conditions as most susceptible to COVID - 19 however there are numerous studies showing contracting COVID - 19 may cause major, including lifetime, medical problems from those who contract it.

During this past Tuesday morning’s media scrum when questioned by MJ Independent city manager Jim Puffalt said the local COVID - 19 Leadership Team and their presence was a main reason why the City had not relaxed its rules including expanding the hours of operation of City Hall past the present four hours restricted access. The reduced hours are a City initiative and not required under any provincial health order.

This Monday both the Prairie South School Division and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division went to on-line or distance learning for their Moose Jaw schools until at least the end of the Easter break due to the rapid rise of VOC cases in the community. The school closures were enacted upon the advice of local public health officials.

Premier Scott Moe said Moose Jaw will be the site of a new drive-thru vaccination clinic expected to start before the end of March - the SHA later stated at a news conference the date for starting the drive-thru clinic is dependent upon the vaccine supply and the weather.

Despite the growing VOC numbers there are however local opponents to the measures who call themselves “Freedom Fighters” claiming numerous things including - but not limited to - COVID - 19 does not exist, masks cause diseases including cancer, the mainstream media is part of a conspiracy and lying to the masses and the restrictions are part of a major plan that the elite are enacting to control the population.

There is however numerous studies emerging the COVID - 19 pandemic is causing major stress and subsequent rising psychiatric and psychological stress. The Moose Jaw Police Service has seen a rising number of domestic disputes during the pandemic.

For both COVID-19 and VOCs, the SHA asks all Saskatchewan households to remember:

COVID-19 is transmitted through coughing and sneezing (droplet transmission), and by touching surfaces with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.

Memorize and recognize the symptoms:  fever, cough, headache, muscle and/or joint aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dizziness, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite (difficulty feeding for children), loss of sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. Stay home if you have symptoms and monitor yourself.

Get tested: Learn more about testing and regularly take the online self-assessment at Saskatchewan.ca/COVID19. Call HealthLine 811 or your physician for a referral or visit your local drive-thru testing site.

Care for yourself and others: Anyone at any age can contract COVID-19. Be kind to each other and to health-care workers.

Download the COVID-19 Alert APP: The Health Canada COVID Alert app is available to all Saskatchewan residents at no cost in the Apple and Google Play app store. The app is another tool available to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by letting people know of possible exposures without sharing any personal information. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Apps webpage.





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