‘Vigilant’: Shahab outlines precautions around gatherings

It might sound like a time warp back to the summer of 2020, but Saskatchewan’s top doctor is once again giving the people of Saskatchewan advice about the safety of gatherings and COVID-19.

“While today is a watershed moment in terms of transfers out of the province, we have to remember that the health system, even with these transfers, remains under significant pressure,” Dr. Saqib Shahab said Monday, when the Saskatchewan government announced it was sending six ICU patients to Ontario.

Shahab said the health measures that are in place now — including mask use in public indoor places and proof of vaccination at many non-essential businesses and services — need 100 per cent compliance. He also had some recommendations around personal gatherings.

“I would certainly strongly recommend that this is the time when we think of all private gatherings in the home, keep them to a small consistent two or three households only and only people who are fully vaccinated. Same goes for private events, whether it’s a marriage or a funeral,” said Shahab.

He said people should wear masks all the time at gatherings unless they’re eating and should ask others whether they’re vaccinated before gathering with them.

“We need to do this very diligently. Cases have come down a bit but we can’t be complacent about that because … the weather’s cooling off, we’ll be moving indoors. We have to remain extremely vigilant,” said Shahab, referring to the small reduction in daily new and active cases seen recently.

Shahab said people need to keep gatherings small and keep them safe. Vaccination also remains key to safety, he added.