Saskatchewan aiming to vaccinate all nursing home workers and residents by end of March

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has given more information about its timeline for fully vaccinating two key groups. 

"The SHA is targeting the end of March for the vaccination of people living and working in all long-term care and personal care homes in the province," said SHA spokesperson James Winkel. "With the caveat [of] supplies permitting."

That includes both the first and second dose for each person, Winkel added. 

News of this SHA target for administering doses within nursing homes comes as Saskatchewan and other provinces adjust to the reality of receiving no new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines this week. 

On Sunday, Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health reported it had reached the end of its current vaccine supply.

Saskatchewan's vaccination rollout plan, released in early December, singled out four groups for priority vaccination: seniors aged 70 and older, people living in northern Saskatchewan, health-care workers, and staff and residents inside long-term care and personal care homes.

In Saskatchewan, long-term care homes include special or affiliate care homes. They may be privately owned, but are operated under a contract with the SHA.

Personal care homes include privately-owned homes run without any ties to the SHA, though all homes in the province are inspected and monitored by the health authority.