There is no letup to the public health orders in place in the province to combat COVID-19.
At the latest news conference with Premier Scott Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab, it was announced the current measures have been extended to Feb. 19.
As well, the province has made it known public health orders will be enforced. They reported that tickets of $14,000 each have been issued to Crackers and the Crazy Cactus in Saskatoon, and Stats Cocktails and Dreams in Regina, for failure to abide by public health orders.
The news conference came on a day when the province announced 14 additional deaths from COVID-19, a record high.
This was a 鈥渟ad reminder that this is a dangerous and very deadly disease we are dealing with,鈥� Moe said.
On a more positive note, case numbers were coming down. There were 232 new cases reported that day, and the seven-day average is at 254, down 20 per cent from its peak.
The gradual decline means the current public health orders in place are working, said Moe, but said 鈥渨e need to leave them in place for a while longer.鈥�
Premier Moe urged residents of the province to continue following the public health order and said that the public health orders work when people follow them. There have been a small number of restaurants and bars that have not been doing that.
鈥淚 have asked that we increase enforcement on those who have broken the rules in recent days,鈥� said Moe. He called for compliance so that in three weeks they might look at easing restrictions.
There was an update on the vaccine situation as well. Moe said there has been progress but they have been limited by the slow pace of vaccine arriving.
Saskatchewan now has the highest percentage of vaccines administered and the second highest per capita administered. But there are no new shipments of Pfizer this week so the vaccine program will be stalled for the next number of days.
Next week they will receive more than 12,000 doses; 5,850 will be Pfizer doses going to North Battleford, Saskatoon, Regina, Yorkton and Swift Current. This will go to long term care residents and staff and those over 70 years of age.
Also, 6,500 Moderna doses are going to the far northeast for second shots, as well as to the central west for first shots.
Health care workers will continue to administer shots as fast as they get them, and Moe said they would press the federal government to do everything they can to deliver more vaccines to Saskatchewan communities.
鈥淲e really have to stay the course," said Dr. Shahab of the continuance of the measures.
He said 鈥渟teady decline in our case numbers 鈥� all the indicators are moving in the right direction.鈥� Daily case numbers are down from 24 per 100,000 to 20 per 100,000.
The rate of daily active cases is down from 329 to 266. The test positive rate is under 10 per cent, and cases are coming down across the province.
Premier Moe also had several comments and fielded several questions from the media about the protest on the weekend outside the home of Dr. Shahab.
鈥淲hat happened this weekend is not what Saskatchewan is about,鈥� said Moe, who said a 鈥渓ine was crossed鈥� on the weekend.
He noted this protest was not at the legislature but in a residential neighborhood, and that moved the protest from one that was protesting a government decision to 鈥減rotesting a person.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing,鈥� said Moe.
As for his own comments on the protest, Dr. Shahab thanked the Regina police, and said 鈥淚 feel sorry for my good neighbours who didn鈥檛 deserve to be harassed like this, and also for my family who doesn鈥檛 deserve to see and hear these type of comments.鈥�
Dr. Shahab added 鈥渋n a democracy you expect vigorous debate on every policy,鈥� but did say 鈥渋n my view there is precedent stating you can鈥檛 picket outside of any residence.鈥�
As for concerns that the protests were racially motivated, Dr. Shahab said, 鈥渘o one should be targeted because of race, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation. And I think successful countries and successful societies are inclusive and do well.鈥�
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