Latest COVID update July 20: Record high doses of Pfizer expected through July end, 22 new cases reported

Record high doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected in Saskatchewan through the end of the month after shipments of the vaccine resumed.

In a release, the provincial government said more than 97,000 doses of Pfizer were received this week and more than 180,000 are expected over the next two weeks.

The shipments are being provided to pharmacies and SHA clinics in Saskatchewan.

The government said that while it has proven both safe and effective to interchange mRNA vaccines for the second dose, residents between the ages of 12 and 17 and those seeking Pfizer as their second shot should seek vaccination clinics and appointments now.

On Tuesday, 22 new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths were reported in Saskatchewan. An additional 2,636 doses of the vaccine were administered.

A look at the numbers

To date, Saskatchewan has had 49,472 cases of COVID-19 and 48,655 recoveries. There are 242 active cases in the province currently.

The new cases of the virus are located in the far northwest (14), far northeast (three), northwest (two) and Saskatoon (two), with one case pending residence information.

One case that had been listed with pending residence was reassigned to the central east.

In Saskatchewan hospitals, there are 55 COVID-19 patients with 45 receiving inpatient care: Ssaktoon (18), Regina (14), north central (seven), northwest (four), south central (one) and south east (one).

Ten patients are in intensive care units: Saskatoon (five), Regina (three), north central (one) and northwest (one).

The current seven-day average of new cases of the virus in the province is 25.

On Monday, 1,151 COVID-19 tests were processed in Saskatchewan, bringing the total number of tests processed in the province to 945,617.

New lineage results numbering 154 were reported for variants of concern (VOC) today. Of the 7,961 reported VOCs, 505 are Delta.

Vaccination update

In Saskatchewan, 1,353,307 vaccines have now been administered.

New doses reported Tuesday were administered to residents living in Saskatoon (1,513), Regina (372), north central (221), central east (120), northwest (113), southeast (61), far northeast (39), northeast (31), central west (26), south central (26), far north central (24), southwest (17) and far northwest (nine). Doses administered with zone of residence pending numbered 64.

Of Saskatchewan residents ages 12 and older, 74 per cent have received their first dose of the vaccine and 59 per cent are fully vaccinated.