Mayor Tolmie Issues Statement Asking Residents To Follow SHA Enhanced Recommendations
By Robert Thomas
h the rise of COVID - 19 Variants Of Concern (VOC) in the community Mayor Fraser Tolmie has issued a press release advising residents to follow the recommendations as laid out by Saskatchewan Health medical authorities.
Those recommendations, although not legally required under any Provincial Public Health Order, ask residents amongst other things to refrain from gathering unnecessarily indoors. The recommendations, if followed according to the what the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is requesting, amounts to voluntarily returning to a semi lockdown condition.
Public health officials are requesting 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. (Stay home when possible)
• 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.
“Over the past two weeks we’ve had open conversations with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) concerning the pandemic in Regina and Moose Jaw,” Mayor Tolmie said in a statement. “In conversations with (Chief Medical Health Officer) Dr. Shahab and SHA representatives, Dr. Torrand Dr. Chhetri, we are closely monitoring the recent increase in cases in our area. We will continue to monitor these numbers and at this point we recommend that Moose Jaw residents continue to follow all current Public Health guidelines to help decrease the spread of the virus.”
On March 27, the SHA issued a media release “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.”
On March 24th Cornerstone Christian School was closed with all classes moving to on-line or distance instruction.
That same afternoon officials with the Prairie South School Division and the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division met with public health officials whose recommendations resulted in both school divisions closing all of their schools effective March 26th and moving to on-line learning on March 26th.
On March 24th there were eight students reported as contracting COVID - 19 in three Moose Jaw schools. (See chart below)
Outbreaks are declared at the discretion of public health officials and the transmission has to have taken place in the same facility.
Responding to questions from MJ Independent an SHA official said an outbreak has been declared for Cornerstone Christian School. At the present time the provincial COVID - 19 Outbreaks page is being updated.
Listing of students contracting COVID - 19th on March 24th SOURCE - Province of Saskatchewan
“In conjunction with the MOH and SHA we are working very hard to establish a local drive-through for vaccine delivery,” Mayor Tolmie also stated. “Until this is established please conitnue to book online at Saskatchewan.ca/COVID19-vaccine or call 1-833-SASKVAX(727-5829). We’re encouraged by what SHA has relayed regarding the efficacy of the vaccine, and ask all residents to get vaccinated and ‘Stick It To Covid’. The more vigilant we are now, the sooner we’ll be able to come through the other side of this pandemic.”
For details on current SHA guidelines in effect for the City of Moose Jaw, visit www.MooseJaw.ca/coronavirus.
On March 23rd at a media scrum, when asked by MJ Independent if the City was paying attention to the rising VOC numbers in Regina, city manager Jim Puffalt said it was actively being closely monitored by the City.