BATTLEFORD — As of Feb. 5, the council of the Town of Battleford has officially rescinded its staff and contractor COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that was passed in Oct. 2021.
The town noted that they have spoken with the union who were in support of removing the policy. This change brings the town in alignment with most other places in Saskatchewan that do not require COVID-19 vaccinations.
"It's just that when we put the policy in [place] it was for a reason of course because COVID was so prevalent," Councillor Shelly Boutin-Jervais noted.
"And it was more or less a government order, at most ... so we followed suit."
The town's chief administration officer, Landon Chambers, noted that there are currently no COVID-19-related public health orders in place in the province, but the municipality could continue requiring proof of vaccination or negative-testing regardless if they saw fit.
"I think it's appropriate at this time that we do move ahead with this," Councillor David George added, noting there are other strains of COVID-19 that may be resistant to current vaccination.
"I think it's just time," he added.
The latest SHA Wastewater data reports presented later in the meeting noted that COVID-19 wastewater levels were considered low for the week ending Jan. 27, and low or medium for five weeks before that.
"Yeah, 100 per cent ... there still are strains out there," Mayor Ames Leslie said
"But I think it's just time to move on from this."
Note: On May 4, 2023, a committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) downgraded the COVID-19 pandemic to an established and ongoing health issue rather than a public health emergency of international concern. COVID-19 is still classified as a pandemic.
